RedBrick Health’s Social Engagement Platform Powers Statewide “Biggest Loser Minnesota Challenge”

Open to all Minnesota residents, RedBrick’s social technology allows participants to form teams, track progress and support each other throughout competition

More than 21,000 consumers already enrolled in statewide health game

RedBrick platform makes it easy for coalition-based organizations such as the Alliance for a Healthier Minnesota to administer large-scale healthy lifestyle competitions

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Building on the runaway success of last summer’s “Biggest Loser Summer Challenge” competition among seven of Minnesota’s largest employers, RedBrick Health’s online social engagement platform has once again been selected by the Alliance for a Healthier Minnesota to serve as the central online hub for a just-launched and expanded statewide weight loss, exercise and healthy eating competition – “The Biggest Loser Minnesota Challenge.”

Last year’s challenge featured employees from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Cargill, General Mills, HealthPartners, Medtronic, Target and UnitedHealth Group competing against each other. This year’s statewide health game, powered by RedBrick technology, includes many of the same companies, and is also open to all Minnesota residents who can join individually, as a family, with their employer or community group, or as part of a team tied to a favorite sports franchise or news celebrity.

Social games and challenges for health are one of the latest and most effective tools organizations are using to engage their members in better health. RedBrick is the first health management provider to rollout a team-oriented health competition of this magnitude. The Biggest Loser Minnesota Challenge is multi-tiered as individuals form teams to compete against each other and with each other as part of larger teams, either by companies or divisions.

“One of the goals of our coalition-based organization is to create a statewide environment that promotes healthy lifestyles,” said Rick Kupchella, founding partner of the Alliance for a Healthier Minnesota and organizer of the Biggest Loser Minnesota Challenge. “RedBrick’s online platform makes it easy to set up and run challenges that tap the power of social engagement and deliver a health improvement program with impact to a large number of individuals across multiple organizations.”

Team formation for the Biggest Loser Minnesota Challenge is being encouraged among local businesses and chambers of commerce, colleges and universities, community organizations and families. Additionally, all NBC television stations in the state of Minnesota and seven popular Twin-Cities radio stations are actively promoting the competition through paid and earned media campaigns. Minnesota professional sports teams are also actively recruiting and forming teams. Outreach efforts have also extended to the Minnesota State Capital where the Minnesota House of Representatives is taking on the Minnesota Senate in the Biggest Loser Minnesota Challenge.

The Challenge already has more than 21,000 people signed-up to participate, more than double the number of participants as the Summer Challenge. The Biggest Loser Minnesota Challenge started Jan. 23, 2011, and runs through April 15, 2011. Minnesota residents can sign up any time at www.competeforhealth.org.

“Participating in the Biggest Loser Summer Challenge was a new experience for me. I’ve never been one to exercise or watch what I eat, but I knew I had to make a change,” said Michael, a Cargill employee who has participated in both Biggest Loser Challenges. “I love a little competition and the Summer Challenge provided that. Our team religiously watched the leader boards in attempt to stay ahead of other teams. I ended up losing 17 pounds, which motivated me and my family to participate in this new statewide challenge. What a great opportunity for the state of Minnesota. I can’t wait to see the combined results of this challenge!”

Keeping the Momentum Going

During last year’s Biggest Loser Summer Challenge, participating employers and more than 10,000 employees joined together to lose more than 37,000 pounds and log more than 16.5 million minutes of exercise – demonstrating the power of coalitions for improving health and wellness in communities.

The social aspect of these competitions highlights the motivational power of people working together and helping each other to achieve better health through support, leadership and friendly competition. Research analysis conducted by RedBrick using data from the 2010 Biggest Loser Summer Challenge found increased levels of participation and higher success rates for individuals who participated on teams of two or more versus those who participated individually. The analysis also found that those individuals who participated in teams had significantly greater weight loss than those who participated as individuals.

RedBrick’s Social Competitions Platform

In support of the Biggest Loser Minnesota Challenge, RedBrick’s online platform allows participants to:

Use simple online tools to form or join teams
Access social networking elements, including leader boards and message boards
Track and graph weight loss, minutes of physical activity and points for healthy nutrition practices
View team progress and standings both within and across groups and divisions
Use mobile devices to report weight measures during the competition

About The Alliance for a Healthier Minnesota

Members of the Alliance for a Healthier Minnesota are united in the common belief that when we work together and provide the right tools for prevention, we can help Minnesotans live longer, healthier lives. Collectively, members of the Alliance employ more than 150,000 Minnesotans – and more than 800,000 people globally. The group believes employers can drive true health care reform through health and wellness campaigns, and in working together for the common good. The Alliance believes healthier communities will make for healthier people, healthier corporations and healthier economies.

About RedBrick Health

RedBrick Health is a health technology company that drives sustained engagement in health improvement programs through constant innovation and deep consumer insight. The company's health engagement platform blends a fresh, personalized consumer experience, impactful social networking tools and rewards that link individual financing to healthy behaviors. As a result, RedBrick delivers employers engagement rates far exceeding industry norms and the ability to fairly and responsibly control costs through increased employee accountability. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Minneapolis, RedBrick serves large, self-insured employers and strategic distribution partners. Visit redbrickhealth.com, read more at Health Innovation Blog and follow them on Twitter.

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RedBrick Health, RedBrick, health, innovation, employee benefits, health care benefits, wellness, prevention, employee wellness, wellness incentives, health care financing, behavioral economics, social networking, healthy social games, social gaming, Rick Kupchella, Biggest Loser, Biggest Loser Challenge, Biggest Loser Minnesota Challenge, Alliance for a Healthier Minnesota, Cargill