The Ask
Convince more people to practice physical distancing during the COVID-19 crisis.
Challenge
Staying home for an extended period of time is a very solitary, isolating experience.
Solution
Recruit a community - a team - to do their part by staying home.
The Brief
Background:
The power of sports extends far beyond the confines of the fields and courts they’re played on. They’re more than just games. Sports showcase the strength of the human spirit. The will to push past pain and adversity. Defying expectations. Fighting for something bigger than just a win. Sports have the power to break down barriers and bring communities together like nothing else.
Situation:
In the span of a few short months, COVID-19 has brought the world to a halt. Businesses are shut down. Gatherings have been canceled. Millions of people are quarantined at home, anxiously waiting for answers.
As we know by now, all sports have been put on pause for the foreseeable future. The networks are numbing the pain with re-runs, but nothing can replace the real thing. No rivalry games. No Olympic glory. No edge-of-your-seat, nail-biter, can’t watch but can’t look away moments. Sports have an uncanny ability to get us through the tough times, so not having them leaves an eerie void in our lives.
The Reality:
While a timeout has been called on sports, there are 18 million unsung heroes suiting up and entering the game: healthcare workers. They’re facing a situation fraught with challenges. Mental & physical exhaustion. Overcrowded units. And above all else, a severe lack of the essential personal protective equipment they need to keep themselves healthy and able to do their jobs.
Challenge:
To ease the burden on healthcare systems and slow down the rate of infection, a majority of Americans have been asked to stay home and practice physical distancing. It's unfamiliar, daunting territory. It can be a solitary and isolating experience. There's no clear timeline for when things will go back to normal, further exasperating the challenge.
Opportunity:
This shouldn't be a solitary experience. There’s a powerful opportunity to tap into the fan culture of sports and build a community that rallies around physical distancing. We can create a team that people actively want to join and are proud to be a part of.
Strategy:
Change doesn't happen alone. It takes a team.
To see the research process, click here
Solution
The Home Team, the team that wins by staying home. The Home Team is an online community devoted to practicing physical distancing. The goal is to change the perception of physical distancing and make it something people want to actively participate in.
To visit the current version of the site, click here.
How to join
Step 1: learn the facts
Step 2: take the pledge to practice physical distancing
Step 3: create your roster profile
Keeping the team engaged
To keep team members active and engaged, the website includes a number of features that encourage repeat visits.