How did the Word In Your Hand® project come about? What were your goals in doing this?
The Word In Your Hand® project was born in TuDiabetes.com®. One of the members (Luis, now also a board member of the Diabetes Hands Foundation) came up with the idea and the founder of TuDiabetes.com® (Manny) and his wife (Andreina) worked to take the idea to the next level by encouraging members of the community to submit their photos. Our goal was to collect enough photos to produce a diabetes awareness video in time for World Diabetes Day and, in the process, empower the members who submitted their photo to express themselves. The result of the first phase of the project was this video.
We saw some new ads from OneTouch, and they close with a “Word In Your Hand.” Did they steal your idea, or do you have an agreement with them?
We’re glad you saw the ads and we’re proud to say that we are partnering with the folks at OneTouch, who saw the Word In Your Hand® project online and were inspired by what we’ve been doing in TuDiabetes.com®. The concept of selecting a word to describe what diabetes means to different people resonated with them and they will be working with us to not only support the Word In Your Hand® idea, but to find ways to make it grow. Showing words in the hands of people with diabetes in their commercials, is very much a tribute to we’ve already been doing.
Why did you choose to partner with OneTouch to promote this project?
We’ve been very happy with the response we’ve received from the Word In Your Hand® project on TuDiabetes.com® and beyond. So, when OneTouch approached us about a partnership, we realized that they could help us raise the visibility of the project even more and reach out to many more people touched by diabetes. And considering how similar our values as a community are to those of OneTouch, we thought it made sense to work with them.
How much are you being compensated by OneTouch to work with them? What is the scope of your relationship with LifeScan (the makers of OneTouch)?
While we can’t disclose the financial details of the relationship with OneTouch, we plan to work with the people there in a number of ways, all of which are aimed at helping more people touched by diabetes connect with each other and empowering them to live a healthier life. I believe that our work together will serve to grow what we are doing in the TuDiabetes.com® community. It should enable us to get the word out to more people and encourage and empower them as they take on their daily journey with diabetes.
Will your affiliation with OneTouch have a negative impact on the community?
We have no plans to change the way TuDiabetes.com® operates and don’t expect our relationship with the people at OneTouch to change what we do. If anything, the partnership with OneTouch will help us significantly grow what we already do on the site. By now, we feel it is clear that our commitment is to the community and the people we are helping. We wouldn’t take steps that we felt would compromise the integrity of our community.
How can you remain impartial on TuDiabetes.com® since you’ve partnered with OneTouch?
TuDiabetes.com® has served as a place where people with diabetes can connect with each other and share what they feel has helped them in dealing with their diabetes. There are sometimes discussions on the site that talk about products or issues that involve companies, but I don’t expect this partnership to change that. Our mission at TuDiabetes.com® as a community for people touched by diabetes remains the same.
To what extent was Manny and/or the Foundation been involved with the campaign, including commercials/web site?
Manny participated in some of the online components of the OneTouch campaign and in some of the Spanish-language efforts, as you may have seen already. He also provided input and guidance to them on their incorporation of the words in hand into their campaign.
