Inside the #FirstSport PSA
Over the past three years our company has been on a mission to prevent childhood drowning.
When this problem was first brought to our attention, we were shocked to learn that drowning is the single leading cause of death for toddlers in the US. Unfortunately, we weren’t the only ones in the dark.
During the discovery phase, we spoke with hundreds of grieving parents, and nearly all said the same thing: “I didn’t know.”
“I didn’t know drowning was the number one cause of death.”
“I didn’t know how fast it can happen.”
“I didn’t know how silent it could be.”
This heartbreaking refrain underscored the need for much broader public awareness.
The challenge, however, is that childhood drowning is an inherently terrifying topic. Unless you’ve been personally affected, it’s not something people want to think or talk about.
So we asked ourselves: how do we message this in a way that doesn’t turn people away?
Our solution: #FirstSport, a poignant PSA with a simple message — make swimming the first sport every child learns.
With talking babies as our spokespeople, our creative was uplifting, approachable, informative, and most importantly, sharable.
We launched #FirstSport on May 1st — the start of National Water Safety Month — with the support of hundreds of celebrities, athletes, influencers, brands, and organizations.
This coordinated “thunderclap” amplified our message across social media, creating an electrifying buzz and driving widespread awareness — and media attention.
The impact was immediate… and incredible.
The success of #FirstSport highlights one of the core values guiding our work: it’s better to be for rather against something.
Instead of focusing on sobering statistics and scare tactics, we struck an uplifting tone that advocated for water safety rather than against drowning.
While the campaign even managed to exceed our expectations, it represents just one part of our comprehensive, long-term strategy to prevent childhood drowning.
Want to learn more about our work in this space? Dive into our case study for more details.
