ParticipAction’s new campaign seeks to remove one of the biggest barriers to physical activity – screen time – by encouraging Canadians to exercise while watching their favorite content. According to the nonprofit, only 49% of adults and 39% of children meet physical activity guidelines.

The “Watch and Move” campaign, with the buy handled by M&K Media, includes a series of short videos on Netflix, Roku, Pluto TV, and Rogers Sports Media, as well as linear TV and social media ads. The brand created videos for different kinds of content, including drama and comedy, with phrases that encourage viewers to move, such as “everytime there is a tense moment: stretch your body,” or when you “hear laughter or you laugh, do a dance.”

“Media planning for ParticipAction campaigns has evolved over the years in response to the growing increase in video consumption. We have continued to increase our investment in video platforms, strategically expanding our spend to effectively and efficiently reach our audience,” Rebecca Jones, senior director of marketing and communications at ParticipAction, tells MiC.

This is the first time the brand has invested in this volume on video channels. The nonprofit wants to reach a segment of Canada’s adult population that wants to be active but hasn’t been able to make physical activity a habit. This is an important audience, says Jones, as it represents the greatest opportunity for impact given where they are already on a physical health journey.

Using an approachable, upbeat, energetic and slightly cheeky tone, the campaign marks the debut of ParticipAction’s new brand platform, “Let’s make room to move,” and is a strategic shift for the charity. Besides the benefits of physical activity highlighted in previous campaigns such as “Everything gets better when you get active,” the new platform now addresses the obstacles when it comes to staying active and emphasizes finding opportunities for movement.

Zulu Alpha Kilo handled the creative strategy and execution for the new campaign.