Latest news with #Activators
The Independent
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Animation of Joe Wicks launched to help children keep fit
An animated character of online fitness coach Joe Wicks has been launched in a bid keep children fit over the summer holidays. The Body Coach's new animated persona talks children through exercises including jogging, squats and burpees in five-minute clips, which will be released via his YouTube channel. Wicks said the Government-backed Activate project aims to 'make movement fun'. In each clip Wicks' character performs various exercises accompanied by new animated characters known as the Activators. The first episode has been released on The Body Coach YouTube channel, with more episodes to be released each week over the school summer holidays. The animated series was launched at Ripple Primary School in Barking, east London, on Monday. Wicks and Health Secretary Wes Streeting met teachers and parents to discuss keeping children active. 'Activate is designed to make movement fun,' said Wicks. He told the PA news agency: 'We live in a world where it's very easy to be sedentary, it's very easy to rely on ultra-processed foods. 'So I think I've created something I personally think is different – it's about using technology and disrupting that passive screen time, and actually saying 'Come on kids, get up, let's do it'. 'I just want more people to see it and give it a go, because I know when they do, I think they're going to fall in love with it – the characters, the workouts and the music. 'It's going to be a really genuine useful thing for parents, I think, to get their kids moving. 'Because sometimes, especially in the summer holidays, kids are reluctant to move, this is something I think can really help with that.' Wicks went on: 'Activity doesn't have to be this perfect hour a day where you have an instructor or you're in a gym, actually, five minutes can be enough.' Health Secretary Wes Streeting told PA: 'Activate is a really great project, and the Government's proud to support it, because we want to get children, young people, more fit and active. 'One in five children are leaving primary school with obesity, so this is a really big challenge for us. 'And the truth is, if this was just a sort of boring government video it wouldn't have nearly as much success and impact as I think Activate is going to have, where you've got the energy and dynamism of Joe Wicks combined with some of the best creative minds and talents in our country and around the world. 'I think it's going to make it fun, I think it's going to make it accessible and that is the key to getting children and young people fit and active – meeting them where they are, making it accessible, making it free and making it fun.' Almost one in 10 children in reception year at school were obese, according to figures from the National Childhood Measurement Programme in England. This rises to 22.1% of pupils in Year 6, according to the 2023/24 data.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Animation of Joe Wicks launched to help children keep fit
An animated character of online fitness coach Joe Wicks has been launched in a bid keep children fit over the summer holidays. The Body Coach's new animated persona talks children through exercises including jogging, squats and burpees in five-minute clips, which will be released via his YouTube channel. Wicks said the Government-backed Activate project aims to 'make movement fun'. In each clip Wicks' character performs various exercises accompanied by new animated characters known as the Activators. The first episode has been released on The Body Coach YouTube channel, with more episodes to be released each week over the school summer holidays. The animated series was launched at Ripple Primary School in Barking, east London, on Monday. Wicks and Health Secretary Wes Streeting met teachers and parents to discuss keeping children active. 'Activate is designed to make movement fun,' said Wicks. He told the PA news agency: 'We live in a world where it's very easy to be sedentary, it's very easy to rely on ultra-processed foods. 'So I think I've created something I personally think is different – it's about using technology and disrupting that passive screen time, and actually saying 'Come on kids, get up, let's do it'. 'I just want more people to see it and give it a go, because I know when they do, I think they're going to fall in love with it – the characters, the workouts and the music. 'It's going to be a really genuine useful thing for parents, I think, to get their kids moving. 'Because sometimes, especially in the summer holidays, kids are reluctant to move, this is something I think can really help with that.' Wicks went on: 'Activity doesn't have to be this perfect hour a day where you have an instructor or you're in a gym, actually, five minutes can be enough.' Health Secretary Wes Streeting told PA: 'Activate is a really great project, and the Government's proud to support it, because we want to get children, young people, more fit and active. 'One in five children are leaving primary school with obesity, so this is a really big challenge for us. 'And the truth is, if this was just a sort of boring government video it wouldn't have nearly as much success and impact as I think Activate is going to have, where you've got the energy and dynamism of Joe Wicks combined with some of the best creative minds and talents in our country and around the world. 'I think it's going to make it fun, I think it's going to make it accessible and that is the key to getting children and young people fit and active – meeting them where they are, making it accessible, making it free and making it fun.' Almost one in 10 children in reception year at school were obese, according to figures from the National Childhood Measurement Programme in England. This rises to 22.1% of pupils in Year 6, according to the 2023/24 data.
Forbes
20-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
5 Paths To B2B Success From Matt Dixon's 'The Activator Advantage'
Sales is an interesting space - part skill, part art, part science. I've always been fascinated by what truly separates the stars from everyone else. Matt Dixon, bestselling author of The Challenger Sale, tackles this question in his latest book, The Activator Advantage: What Today's Rainmakers Do Differently, drawing from an extensive research initiative called 'The Rainmaker Genome Project.' When Matt and I recently spoke, he explained that this research stemmed from recognizing that conventional B2B sales approaches weren't quite clicking with professionals who sell their expertise. The study included nearly three thousand partner-level professionals. It featured in-depth behavioral interviews with top performers and identified five distinct profiles. One of these, the "Activator" profile, stood out as dramatically more likely to achieve top performance. While this research project focused on professional services, the core behaviors and mindsets of Activators offer valuable, practical lessons for sales and marketing professionals across numerous industries. Here are five essential takeaways: Activators don't wait for clients to identify a need before responding. Instead, they constantly scan for potential threats, opportunities, regulatory shifts, or market trends their clients might miss. They take the initiative to reach out and discuss these emerging issues and their implications. This isn't about blasting generic thought leadership—it's about offering information targeted specifically for a client's role, company, or industry. In my conversation with Matt, one of the most surprising findings from their client data was a common refrain: "I wish I heard from my partners more often." Clients, typically buried in their day-to-day responsibilities, truly value professionals who help them "look around corners" and offer fresh perspectives. This proactive, insight-driven engagement helps shape the client's understanding of potential needs and positions the Activator as a valuable, forward-thinking partner. Ideally, this happens before a formal need or RFP materializes. Most professionals recognize the importance of delivering business results and building trust. However, Activators dig deeper by understanding and supporting a client's individual aspirations, challenges, and even personal interests. This level of personal support is what Matt describes as the "stickiest" value driver. It differentiates the relationship and transforms the professional from a trusted advisor into a genuine ally. Examples include helping develop a client's team members or offering career guidance, all without expecting immediate financial return. This demonstrates cognitive empathy and a profound understanding of the surrounding the client's full context, including their personal value drivers. The result is a stronger, more enduring connection than business impact or trust alone could create. For Activators, a professional network is more than a collection of contacts. Rather, it's a strategic resource requiring intentional investment and management. They're deliberate about building connections, viewing their network as the source of future opportunities. This involves targeted outreach, purposeful networking at events (planning interactions beforehand), and strategic use of platforms like LinkedIn. Activators engage online to create pathways to targeted conversations, often moving discussions offline, rather than simply broadcasting content. They leverage LinkedIn for meaningful exchanges by commenting thoughtfully on others' posts. They find ways to connect over shared interests or industry developments. This strategic approach ensures their networking efforts translate into real momentum for business development. Business development inevitably involves dealing with rejection, missed opportunities, and difficult conversations. Activators possess remarkable resiliency, viewing setbacks as temporary, external, and non-personal. This mindset is rooted in understanding that a single interaction rarely indicates a systemic problem. It allows Activators to persist and maintain a positive outlook. Instead of spiraling into helplessness, they transform setbacks into opportunities to learn, problem-solve, and even strengthen relationships by candidly addressing what happened. They understand that not every client is an ideal fit. They quickly pivot toward finding the next opportunity rather than dwelling on past disappointments. Activators focus on expanding the overall value in client relationships and negotiations, not just claiming a bigger piece for themselves. This includes proactively bringing in colleagues with complementary expertise to provide comprehensive solutions, ensuring clients benefit from the full breadth of the firm's capabilities. In negotiations, Activators leverage their deep understanding of the client's business and personal drivers to find creative solutions that enhance value for both parties. This collaborative approach, centered on creating integrative value rather than purely distributive wins, helps preserve and strengthen the long-term relationship. This mindset extends to internal collaborations as well, even with traditionally difficult colleagues. Activators know that being helpful and generous internally can unlock significant joint opportunities. By adopting these five strategies—proactively delivering insights, focusing on personal client goals, strategically managing networks, cultivating resilience, and prioritizing integrative value—sales and marketing professionals in any B2B sector can emulate the behaviors of top-performing Activators and drive more consistent business development success.
