Capitalizing on a current fad to promote poison help: (1-800-222-1222)

Introduction. The distinctive yellow Lance Armstrong 'Live Strong' silicon wristbands, which support cancer research, have reached iconic status and spawned substantial interest from other organizations seeking to capitalize on the same awareness opportunity. To promote the national toll-free Poison Help telephone number, a regional poison information center developed and introduced a Poison Help wristband. Methods. The RPIC worked with a marketing firm to design the Poison Help wristband, conduct a feasibility analysis to determine the financial viability of the project and develop a plan to market and sell the wristbands. The wristbands were a unique color, contained the words Poison Help and the national toll-free telephone number. Results. Approximately 50,000 wristbands were distributed in the first four months. Conclusions. By developing a practical application for a popular item, the RPIC increased poison center awareness and, as a secondary benefit, generated revenue to support other poison prevention education endeavors.