UNICEF and Target partnered up on these kids' fitness bands that encourage health and activity as well as social responsibility. The activity-tracking wearables are a part of the UNICEF Kid Power program, which manages to tackle two problems simultaneously -- one of obesity in the United States and malnutrition in the developing world.
For every 2,500 steps, a child gets a Kid Power point -- five points and UNICEF delivers a package of food aid to a malnourished child in a developing country. The fitness bands and accompanying app were first tested in schools, proving to be very successful in Boston, Dallas and New York City. Now, they will be sold commercially so that families can be active together. This will allow parents to teach their children about the importance of giving back, while gaining the product a wider audience to enable the charity to raise more money for families in poverty.
Charitable Fitness Bands (UPDATE)
UNICEF Matches Every 12,000 Steps Walked with Food Aid for Kids
Trend Themes
1. Charitable Fitness Bands - The concept of wearable technology is moving beyond basic activity trackers and integrating charitable giving to increase social responsibility.
2. Activity-based Social Responsibility - The idea that small daily actions can have big impacts is becoming more popular, and technology is being developed to make it easy to participate in addressing social issues.
3. Gamification of Giving - Using the principles of game design to encourage charitable giving is a popular trend, as shown by the UNICEF Kid Power program's use of points and goals to incentivize activity in children.
Industry Implications
1. Fitness Wearables - Companies in the fitness wearable industry seeking new ways to increase consumer engagement could benefit from incorporating charitable giving into their products, as seen in the UNICEF Kid Power program.
2. Tech for Social Impact - The intersection of technology and social impact is a growing industry, with companies focused on developing products and services that address social issues, such as malnutrition, around the world.
3. Education Technology (edtech) - The success of the UNICEF Kid Power program in schools highlights an opportunity for companies in the EdTech industry to develop innovative ways to integrate charitable giving and social responsibility into their products and curriculum.