General Mills announced today that by the end of 2020, oat farms that supply oats for Honey Nut Cheerios will host approximately 3,300 total acres of dedicated flower-rich pollinator habitat. It takes about 60,000 acres of oats to make Honey Nut Cheerios products each year. More than two thirds of the crops used to feed people, accounting for 90 percent of the world’s nutrition, are pollinated by bees.1 Flower-rich habitat is critical in helping maintain the nutritional health of bees and the continued supply of crops that we depend on for food. Without bees and other pollinators, food as we know it would be forever changed.
Bees have experienced an unprecedented scale of habitat loss with more than 9 million acres of grass and prairie land converted to crop land since 2008.2 Although Honey Nut Cheerios famous spokesbee, Buzz Bee, and his honey bee friends may not be in danger of extinction like some other pollinators, in the interest of protecting our food supply, Honey Nut Cheerios is committed to helping all pollinators thrive through the planting of these habitats.
“Pollinator habitats are one of the most effective solutions in ensuring bees get the daily nutrition they need,” said Dr. Marla Spivak, a world-renowned bee scholar at the University of Minnesota who has been collaborating with General Mills on this initiative. “Every day, 4,000 species of North American bees are traveling from flower to flower, shopping for the variety of good nutrition they need in order to thrive. My hope is this partnership between farmers, the Xerces Society and General Mills will not only beautify the North American countryside with vibrant wildflowers, but also help the bees we all rely on so much get back on their own six feet!”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7803951-honey-nut-cheerios-pollinators/
Mary Murphy partners with Osteo Bi-Flex®
The GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ Title for the ‘Largest merengue lesson’ has officially been set as of Friday, April 15, by none other than joint supplement Osteo Bi-Flex. Led by celebrity choreographer Mary Murphy, ballroom dancing champion, at the Fremont Street Experience, the lesson involved more than 250 participants who gathered to learn and perform the high-energy, Latin-inspired merengue.
Record attempt participants stepped in time throughout the half-hour lesson, under the expert direction of celebrity dancer and choreographer Mary Murphy.
The joint support supplement’s record-breaking feat was held as a celebration of movement, encouraging folks to be active and to continue enjoying the activities that make them happy at any age.
“Osteo Bi-Flex is leading the call for movement and enabling individuals to continue participating in the activities they love by facilitating joint comfort, flexibility and movement,” said Derek Bowen, Senior Vice President for Osteo Bi-Flex. “Our product has been helping people for years, so to have our name down in the record books for getting people moving is a perfect fit with our brand! From our standpoint, stillness is the new smoking. Taking Osteo Bi-Flex will help people feel more comfortable within 7 days of taking it.*”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7796951-osteo-bi-flex-guinness-world-record/
When it comes to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, you don’t have to fly, have superhuman strength or have laser vision to be a Hero. St. Jude Heroes are an exclusive group of dedicated athletes committed to running for a reason—raising funds and awareness to support the lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
St. Jude Heroes receive fundraising tools and support, along with event-specific benefits. More importantly, they help kids diagnosed with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Thanks to dedicated St. Jude Heroes and other supporters, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital founder Danny Thomas once said, “Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others.” This statement couldn’t be more accurate of St. Jude Heroes.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7579851-st-jude-rock-n-roll-nashville-marathon/
For consumers in the market for a new car, it can be difficult to keep up with all of the new—and newly redesigned—models that have been released since they last bought a car. Autotrader’s editorial team is helping consumers narrow down the many choices on the market today by selecting the top 10 vehicles that shoppers should experience for themselves. Announced today, Autotrader’s Must Test Drive vehicle lineup for 2016 includes a wide range of body styles to ensure that no matter what kind of vehicle a shopper is considering, the list will point them in the right direction for their next purchase.
“We created the Must Test Drive Awards to highlight vehicles that are unexpectedly good,” said Brian Moody, executive editor at Autotrader. “We have a chance to drive a lot of cars, but few leave us certain that shoppers are missing out if they don’t take them for a spin. The 10 vehicles we chose this year did just that.”
A car is typically one of the biggest purchases a consumer makes, and a recent Autotrader survey showed that 84 percent of consumers say it is extremely important to test drive a vehicle they’re considering. The top three things they look for during test drives are performance, comfort and handling. While 30 percent wait to test drive vehicles until they know the exact model they want to buy, 44 percent get behind the wheel when they’re still considering a few options.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7790751-autotrader-must-test-drive-awards/
This spring, John Deere is helping homeowners keep track of and optimize their lawn care responsibilities with the new MowerPlus smartphone application. This free app provides equipment care tips, maintenance information and other resources to ensure that homeowners feel confident maintaining a great looking lawn.
The iOS version of MowerPlus allows the user to “Mow Now” and track mowing metrics. Users can view a summary of the current mowing session with average speed, area covered and other real-time statistics. Additionally, an aerial view of the mowing path for each session can help homeowners diversify their pattern to protect turf health. The app also lets homeowners know how long it has been since they last mowed.
“Mowing the lawn is so much more than just making tall grass short,” said Kevin Duax, product line planner, John Deere. “With our MowerPlus app, homeowners can easily refer to expert tips and historical data to ensure efficient and effective lawn upkeep.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7720553-john-deere-mowerplus-app/
Instilling healthy oral hygiene habits at an early age is critical, and Plackers® is helping parents do just that in a fun way with its new Dual Grip Fruit Smoothie Swirl Kids’ Flossers, designed with a unique dual grip handle making them easy for kids of all ages to use and allowing parents to assist.
Flossing regularly removes plaque and food from areas between the teeth that can’t be reached by brushing alone. Using Plackers flossers can reduce tooth decay and promote healthier gums.
The new, brightly colored flossers are designed with an angled head, allowing kids and parents to easily reach all teeth. Plackers’ Hi-Tech® floss is engineered not to stretch, shred, or break, and includes fluoride to promote strong teeth and reduce tooth decay. The kid-friendly fruit smoothie flavor is sure to be a hit and helps make flossing a fun – and tasty – task.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7768451-plackers-fruit-smoothie-swirl-kids-flossers/
According to the 2016 Franchise Business Economic Outlook report, employment growth in the franchise sector will continue to outpace the growth of employment in all businesses economy-wide, as it has in each of the last six years. The franchise industry is set to grow by 1.7 percent in 2016 which added over 13,000 new franchise businesses, generating over $900 billion in economic output and 278,000 new jobs in 2015.
Kumon, the world’s largest education franchise, continues to flourish as it surpassed company milestones in 2015 with nearly 300,000 students enrolled in its math and reading programs nationwide.
“Many of our 1,500 franchise owners opened Kumon centers after experiencing first-hand how Kumon gave their own children an academic advantage that put them ahead of their peers,” says Larry Lambert, vice president of franchise recruitment at Kumon North America. “Kumon is helping thousands of aspiring small business owners transform their lives with a career that rewards them and changes the lives of youth every day.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7720256-kumon-franchise/
HMR Weight Management Services (HMR), a subsidiary of Merck, has been named a No. 1 Best Fast Weight-Loss Diet in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Diets of 2016 rankings. This is the first year U.S. News has published the Best Fast Weight-Loss Diet category. HMR also held its position as the No. 2 Best Weight-Loss Diet in the annual rankings list for the second year in a row. HMR Programs focus on helping people lose weight quickly while teaching the healthy lifestyle skills needed for long-term weight management.
“HMR programs excel at providing the jump start many people need when beginning a healthier lifestyle program,” said Carol Addy, M.D. MMSc, Chief Medical Officer at HMR. “A common misconception is that losing weight quickly is not healthy, not sustainable, and will just lead to future weight re-gain. To the contrary, numerous clinical studies demonstrate that following a lifestyle change program which promotes fast initial weight loss can result in better long-term success.” Addy added, “On the HMR Program, people can lose weight without feeling hungry. Our programs achieve fast weight loss in a livable way by encouraging people to eat more and stay satisfied, which makes it easier to stick to the program in the short-term, and over the long haul.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7670751-hmr-program-named-best-weight-loss-diet/
Actresses Shay Mitchell and Nina Dobrev are giving back this holiday season by starring in a month-long global philanthropic advertising campaign powered by IPG Mediabrands in support of Free The Children’s WE Are Stronger Together campaign. With the purchase of a $10 Rafiki bracelet, handmade with love by women in Kenya, a gift of impact is unlocked – water, healthcare, school supplies, healthy meals – helping to break the cycle of poverty and create a brighter future for Free The Children partner communities in Kenya, India, Ecuador, Haiti, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Nicaragua and rural China.
By wearing a Rafiki bracelet, available at we.org and select retail stores including Walgreens, PacSun and Nordstrom, North Americans have the opportunity to join Shay Mitchell and Nina Dobrev in making a statement that they are part of the WE movement – a generation who believes that together WE can change the world. Each Rafiki purchased has a unique code for consumers to enter online at trackyourimpact.com so they can track exactly in what Free The Children community a life-changing gift was given.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7722251-free-the-children-we-are-stronger-together/
AARP is announcing the winners of a unique contest that encourages filmmakers to tell the story of family caregiving through short films. The competition was launched as part of Ad Council and AARP’s National Caregiver Awareness Campaign to help reveal the hard work and dedication of the nation’s 40 million family caregivers. These stories focus on three family caregiving themes: The Changing Face of Caregiving, Roles Change, and Random Acts of Kindness for Caregivers. The winners share a $25,000 prize and the opportunity for their work to be featured on AARP and Ad Council web and social platforms.
“These three minute or shorter films really open up the world of family caregiving helping people to better understand the intense challenges as well as the deep personal rewards of caring for a loved one,” said Amy Goyer, AARP family and caregiving expert and author of the new award-winning book Juggling Life, Work, and Caregiving. “But more importantly, the stories show how much love is present in family caregiving, whether it comes from a family member, friend or even a stranger.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7607231-aarp-caregivers/
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer-powered charity dedicated to funding childhood cancer research, announces its Kids Are Special: Let’s Treat Them That Way national campaign. Focused on celebrating kids and giving them the happy childhoods they deserve, the campaign highlights the need for finding treatments that are specifically designed for kids with cancer.
With this bold new initiative, St. Baldrick’s looks to change the narrative around pediatric cancers, by showing kids as their truest selves – fun-loving, carefree, refreshingly honest, and always a little goofy. St. Baldrick’s puts the emphasis back on kids, while disempowering the label of “cancer.” All communication is strategically designed to remind us all that as adults we have the power to give kids happy childhoods free from cancer by helping to fund the best research worldwide. The campaign includes TV, print, radio, digital, and billboard placements featuring real kids doing kid-like things; from playing with their food to getting caught with paint on their faces, all with the message: Kids Are Special: Let’s Treat Them That Way.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7610752-st-baldricks-kids-are-special/
From a child development expert whose pet-centric curriculum is helping rehabilitate troubled adolescents to the founder of New York City’s first cat café, Purina’s third Better With Pets Summit showcased how the relationship between pets and people enhances overall emotional wellness.
The day-long summit, which was hosted by Emmy-nominated comedian and writer, Josh Gondelman, took place at the Brooklyn Expo Center in New York City on Nov. 3 and featured three panel discussions that examined the emotional relationship between pets and people, including the reciprocal effects both have on one another. Keynote speeches were presented by Purina senior research nutritionist Arleigh Reynolds, who has researched the dog and human bond for many years in Alaska and supports of The Frank Attla Youth Program; and author and reality television personality Carole Radziwill, who shared how pet ownership has shaped her life experiences.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7655851-purina-better-with-pets-summit/
