A new way to fight childhood obesity...the iPad

I continue to be fascinated by the innovations that keep arising in the digital world, especially so when one has real-life implications.  As the national childhood obesity epidemic steadily rises, there is a greater focus on finding unique ways to bring healthy, yet delicious, meals into the kitchen.  In a move that wowed consumers and critics alike, yesterday, Kraft attempted to help answer that call by unveiling Big Fork Little Fork, a new iPad app designed to help young parents teach their kids about healthy eating.  Supported by the results of a proprietary Google study that showed there were 37 million web searches conducted on family and kids food, but no real relevant resources, Kraft identified an important need and filled it.

Big Fork Little Fork targets a specific population - the tech-savvy 20-30 year old age group with children ages 6-12 - using a clever, kid-and-parent-friendly, interactive platform.  Blending games, how-to videos, recipes and more, the new app is an excellent illustration of how well a digital resource can be effectively applied to a very real-life issue.  It's also yet another demonstration of the seemingly never-ending uses of the iPad:  Co-Founder and CEO of The Hyperfactory, the company, which participated in developing the app, says, “It illustrates the creativity with which this device can change the game for brands wanting to innovate how they interact with consumers.”

As far the success of this branded iPad content goes – we’ll have to wait and see.  With no real user data on iPad demographics yet, Kraft took a “leap of faith” in creating the app with this population in mind.  For someone who is continually looking for new ways to bring healthcare further into the digital age, I personally think this app is a brilliant example of something I hope to see more brands leaping into.

- Blair Baumwell -