Health and Wellbeing Queensland combats unhealthy weight in kids with launch of ‘PodSquad’ via Khemistry
Health and Wellbeing Queensland has partnered with Khemistry to take a new approach to combating unhealthy weight amongst children with the launch of Podsquad, a first-of-its-kind behaviour change program aimed at 5 – 12 year olds.
Says Susan Lyons, managing director, Khemistry: “Childhood health and wellbeing is a complex issue, linked to eating habits, activity levels and even sleep. It’s equally complex to confront, because kids learn and modify their behaviour through play, so this was a clear case where traditional advertising alone wouldn’t solve the problem.”
Developed in partnership with universities, healthcare professionals and the real experts (children), Podsquad transports kids to an enchanting world of games, puzzles, songs, animations, quizzes and quests, all designed to build real-world healthy habits.
Says Brent Liebenberg, executive creative director, Khemistry: “You can’t fool kids into taking part. They have to genuinely like what you’ve created, which makes them a challenging but also incredibly rewarding audience. Everything has to be wrapped in a layer of intrigue and fun, and heaven help you if your lessons come across as lessons. The whole agency had to learn to think like kids again, which led to a few fights over the colour Sharpies, but also to some really great work.”
Led by a cast of quirky, collectible characters, each linked to long-term behaviour change like healthier eating, increased activity and better sleep, Podsquad unfolds in a unique way for each child. It’s built around their individual goals and free time so that everyone has a different experience. Parents benefit too. They are able to track their children’s progress, help out when needed, and join in the fun through a series of parent content, including podcasts, conversation cards and new recipes to try.
Says Ian Jones, experience design director, Khemistry: “The openness of the Podsquad world provides almost endless pathways and opportunities for children to learn, make choices, take action and realise their own agency. After all, children are more likely to establish healthy habits for life if they’re able to understand and have the tools to take action in self-directed and self-motivated ways.”
Says Joanna Munro, health system partnerships director, Health and Wellbeing Queensland: “Developing Podsquad and delivering a first of its kind program for families and kids was a deeply collaborative and rewarding process between Health and Wellbeing Queensland, leading health technology experts, more than 300 families right across Queensland, and the team at Khemistry.”
Supported by an integrated campaign, as well as life-sized promotional characters, Podsquad is available now to download free on the Apple App Store and Google Play store, with plans to further develop stories and characters across new platforms and media.
Health & Wellbeing Queensland
Robyn Littlewood – CEO
Joanna Munro – Director, Health Systems Partnerships
Clare Murray – A/Director Communications and Engagement
Rebecca Farletti – Project Co-lead
Miranda Campbell – Project Co-lead
Annabel Kolkka – Senior Communications Advisor
Khemistry
Susan Lyons – Managing Director
Jo Millington – General Manager
Patricia David – Senior Strategist
Emilie Tan – Strategist
Brent Liebenberg – Executive Creative Director
Tim Kelly – Associate Creative Director
Lauren Doolan – Head of Art
Stephen Wallwork – Integrated Artwork Operator
Lachlan Mcfarlane – Content Creator
Jessamy Ross – Senior Copywriter
Lee Evans – Animator/Motion Designer
Tom Ward – Illustrator
Cameron Pyke – Illustrator
Robbie Dodd – Head of Production
Phil Hagstrom – Head of Content
Sally Lovegrove – Account Director
Abby Roberts – Junior Account Manager/Production Assistant
James Bracken – Head of Digital Experience
Silvia Azmitia – Delivery Director
Ian Jones – Experience Design Director
Robyn Littlewood – CEO
Joanna Munro – Director, Health Systems Partnerships
Clare Murray – A/Director Communications and Engagement
Rebecca Farletti – Project Co-lead
Miranda Campbell – Project Co-lead
Annabel Kolkka – Senior Communications Advisor
Glen Cable – Senior UX/UI Director
Carl Aquino – UI/UX Designer
Jared Dancel – Digital Designer
Eric Shum – Mobile Team Lead
Daniel Swanepoel – Senior Full Stack Developer
Matthew Potter – Senior Android Developer
Jose Mari Pascual – iOS Developer
Jonathan Lau – Art Director