Go Play Information

- Ales for Trails Corporate Sponsor
- Ales for Trails Individual Sponsor
- 2007 AFT Sponsor Presentation

Other Events/Promotions

- Magic City Trail Trek 2008
- Bike, Walk Bus Week 2008
- Ales for Trails 2007
- Trail Census Results 2007

BikeNet Newsletter

Go Play!

NEWS RELEASE

University Relations
1500 University Drive
Billings, Montana 59101-0298
Phone: (406) 657-2266 Fax: (406) 657-2264

MSU-BILLINGS STUDENTS TO CREATE MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO GAIN SUPPORT FOR TRAILS AND BIKE PATHS.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2007

CONTACT:
Dr. Sarah Keller, MSU-B Communication Dept., 896-5824
Shelly Van Atta, University Relations, 657-2268
Jeanelle Slade, St. Vincent Healthcare, 238-6226

MSU-BILLINGS NEWS SERVICE – Montana State University-Billings communications students, with support from the St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation, are launching a marketing campaign to promote physical activity and awareness of local trails. The Go Play! Campaign’s goals are to motivate people to use pedestrian modes of transportation and increase support for trails and bike lanes in the community.

St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation and the Heart & Sole Run have committed to fund the campaign, for a total of $10,000 in donations that will pay for TV broadcast airtime (to be matched by local networks), print advertising space, graphic design work, printing, billboard space, production work and any additional expenses.

“Healthy communities are physically attractive and inhabited by active community members,” said David Irion, Executive Director of the St. Vincent Health Care Foundation. “Townsfolk are committed to promoting the ‘Go Play’ assets of the community which invigorate vibrant economic engines and produce a great place to live.”

The campaign will debut in the March 2007 and continue through the fall in various media forms, including print advertisements, billboards and broadcast advertisements. A community “Magic City Trail Trek” event will be held May 20 to bring people onto the trails and to a celebratory barbecue. Another community event for families is the Heart & Sole Run, June 9th, with divisions for all ages in the 10K, 5K, 2Mi. Health Walk, and the ½ Mile Stroll.

Specific campaign messages were determined last fall through audience research conducted by students in Dr. Sarah Keller’s Media for Social Change class, in the Department of Communication & Theatre.

Students hope the campaign will encourage people to get out of their cars and adopt a more active lifestyle – by walking or biking to school or work. “The high gas prices may make audiences more receptive to this message,” said Dr. Keller.

MSU-Billings students were in charge of coming up with a vision and following through from start to finish with such forms of media as television and radio public service announcements. Student interns are working this spring with professional graphic artists and producers, including Spotlight Productions and Strange Sister Creative, to execute the final art for the marketing campaign.

In 1969, 50% of kids walked to school, now 15% of kids walk to school. Kids are also now 25% more likely to be overweight than in 1969, according to Kathy Aragon, a Safe Routes to School Coordinator and co-director of Go Play!