Generating "buzz":Earned media and NYC's "Pouring on the Pounds" campaign

Background: In 2009, The New York City Health Department launched “Pouring On the Pounds,” a hard-hitting publicity campaign urging residents to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Print advertisements were posted in 1,500 subway cars during September, October and November. A video was later posted on a free-access video-hosting website and promoted on free-access social-networking sites. Instead of running the video as a paid advertisement, we adopted a viral marketing strategy, relying on consumers and news media outlets to disseminate the message. The interplay between online social networks and the news media quickly generated a worldwide audience at very low cost. Methods: Web analytics helped us track publicity. We monitored the number of online views of the video. We also tested the practicality of gauging the public's awareness of the campaign, and reactions to it, through street-intercept and online surveys. Results: The video quickly attracted more than a half-million viewers, and it received more news coverage than the print advertisements. After the video's release, the campaign was mentioned in 45 news stories and on at least 173 websites, compared with 35 news stories and 86 websites prior to the video launch. Discussion: The reach of social media campaigns depends on the ability to develop “buzz.” Social networks and viral media are potentially cost-effective means of disseminating public health messages. Web analytics provide ready measures of a health campaign's reach and impact. Surveys may provide additional insight into public reception of health messages, but simple, reliable instruments are currently limited.