The Olympics are here and I couldn’t be more excited. Watching these amazing athletes is so inspiring. But even more exciting is the fact that I can find out exactly what is happening, minute by minute. The Olympic experience has been transformed by social media, and for the better in my opinion.

Even the host city Vancouver used social media. “We were keen to use social media as a method of getting important public information out about the Games, but also wanted to build followers and fans that would stay with us after the Games,” said Lesli Boldt, the project manager for host city communications. “We’ve been tweeting regularly on the Torch Relay since October and most tweets each day are Games-related as we head into the Opening Ceremonies. We’re also producing daily video vignettes on the Host City experience and tweeting them out to followers daily.”

Go Team USA!

As a mother of three and a senior account manager at a creative design firm, I was thrilled to hear that the government and ad agencies will be working together to help create a battle plan to fight childhood obesity.  Ad agency lobbyists say they support the initiative, especially if it means more emphasis on exercise and physical education in schools, rather than placing restrictions on advertising as some kind of magic cure for the obesity problem.

President Obama last week signed an executive order mandating the creation of a childhood obesity task force. He also gave the task force 90 days to come up with an action plan, and urged “a generation” to solve the problem through a “coordinated federal response.” The group will be chaired by Lawrence Summers, assistant to the president for economic policy.

While there was no mention of involvement by the FCC or the Federal Trade Commission, the task force will include the chiefs of whatever agencies Summers chooses. Also involved will be the secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, and Education departments; the director of the Office of Management and Budget; and heads of other groups.

First Lady Michelle Obama, who is also a mother of two young girls, has made the initiative a priority through a “Let’s Move” campaign. “She will encourage involvement from every sector — the public, nonprofit and private sectors, as well as parents and youth — to help support and amplify the work of the Federal Government in improving the health of our children,” the president wrote.

The First Lady appeared on Good Morning America to promote the campaign, which will also be featured under NBCU’s iconic “The More You Know” umbrella public-service effort. Nickelodeon pledged its support as well.

I think any time we can put focus on this growing epidemic, the better.  I applaud the President and the First Lady for tackling this issue and including agencies and marketers to help.