With more than 50 million kids heading back to school this fall, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) and Honeywell (NYSE:HON) are urging parents, guardians and educators to start conversations about safety now. The KidSmartz™ program, a joint effort between NCMEC and Honeywell, is making those conversations easier with new animated videos to help elementary school students understand and remember the “Four Rules of Safety”
“A nine-year analysis by NCMEC of more than 9,000 attempted abductions revealed important patterns, including the fact that many attempts happen on the way to and from school,” said Linda Krieg, NCMEC acting CEO. “Safety is a year-round concern, but the analysis tells us that this time of year is a critical time to prepare our kids for potential dangers. KidSmartz equips teachers and parents with tools they need to help kids make smarter and safer decisions.”
NCMEC’s attempted abduction analysis revealed not only the tricks used by people trying to abduct kids but also the ways kids can get away. KidSmartz, which launched last year as part of more than ten years of partnership between NCMEC and Honeywell, uses classroom activities, role-playing, animated videos and a “Safety Dance” song and dance to teach children in grades K-5 the “Four Rules of Safety.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7616251-ncmec-honeywell-kidsmartz-back-to-school/
Globally renowned tennis champion and Supergoop! Co-Owner Maria Sharapova alongside Supergoop! Founder & CEO Holly Thaggard, are proud to announce the launch of Project Black Dot, a new education and activism platform with the singular mission to end the epidemic of skin cancer and improve skin health in America. Maria is the face and champion of this multidimensional platform that focuses on providing consumers with suncare education and activations year round, not just during the traditional “sun” months.
The Project Black Dot platform, which will unveil multiple initiatives throughout the coming year, will kick off today with “Project 1: Permission,” calling attention to current regulations on sunscreen in schools. This initiative will put the power into the hands of parents and schools by providing a simple, sunscreen permission slip which gives children the ability to use and apply sunscreen at school with the goal of obtaining 100,000 signed sunscreen permission slips.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7633051-supergoop-project-black-dot/
Beauty anxiety is felt by girls as young as ten years old. In fact, 9 out of 10 girls want to change at least one thing about their physical appearance.1 Dove believes everyone has the opportunity to help a girl navigate those feelings. The Dove Self-Esteem Project launches a new Self-Esteem Pinterest page to provide free self-esteem exercises, activities, and workshop guides to inspire women to embrace the opportunity to help the girls in their lives reach their full potential.
“The Dove Self-Esteem Project has long been delivering self-esteem education to young people to help them build positive self-esteem and reach their full potential,” said Jennifer Bremner, Director of Marketing, Dove. “Dove recognizes that women and girls spend a great deal of time on social media. Now when girls need a self-esteem boost, the mothers or role models in their lives can rely upon practical and easy-to-use self-esteem inspiration right on their phones. Our new Dove Self-Esteem Pinterest page demonstrates the power and ease of mentorship, and we invite parents, teachers and any person with a girl in their life to join us in helping the next generation develop a positive relationship with beauty.”
The Dove Self-Esteem Pinterest Page (Pinterest.com/SelfEsteem) offers every woman and girl a personal confidence-boosting board they can turn to when they need it most.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7635651-dove-self-esteem-project-on-pinterest/
Subaru of America, Inc. today announced the completion of a Pet Travel Seat Pilot Study as part of its continued partnership with Center for Pet Safety (CPS), a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit research and consumer advocacy organization. Subaru and CPS have tested pet products most commonly used by pet parents when traveling. Phase one tested pet harnesses, phase two tested pet crates and carriers, and now, phase three has tested pet travel seats.
A pet travel seat is typically used in a vehicle to hold or elevate the pet, but does not offer full containment. The Pet Travel Seat Pilot Study found that while a pet travel seat may offer distraction prevention, it will likely not offer crash protection in the event of an accident, which could lead to injury of the pet and the human vehicle passengers. The quality of commonly available pet travel seats did not provide effective protection in a crash scenario.
Based on the scientific test evidence collected over the past four years, in part through its partnership with Subaru, CPS can now identify the safest travel options for most pets. For small dogs and cats, Center for Pet Safety recommends one of the 2015 Top Performing Carriers; for medium and large dogs either the 2015 Top Performing Crate - Gunner Kennels G1 Intermediate with 8' Tie Down Straps, or a Center for Pet Safety Certified Harness. To view top performing products and CPS Certified products, visit www.CenterforPetSafety.org.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7074158-subaru-cps-pet-travel-seat-study/
In an effort to inform children and their families about the importance of food safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Ad Council are joining 20th Century Fox to launch a series of public service advertisements (PSAs) featuring footage from the upcoming film Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Road Chip.
An estimated 1 in 6 (48 million) Americans get sick from foodborne illness each year, resulting in roughly 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children are among the most vulnerable to food poisoning because their immune systems are still developing, so parents and caregivers need to take extra precautions when preparing food for children under five.
The new PSAs, featuring everyone’s favorite Chipmunks – Alvin, Simon, and Theodore – highlight the four food safety steps consumers can use to prevent foodborne illness. The Chipmunks’ antics and hilarious situations in which they find themselves provide a perfect platform to illustrate these four steps: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill. The PSAs help explain actions anyone can take to safely prepare their food, using the Chipmunks as the tool to bring fun and relevancy to a serious topic. The partnership includes TV, radio, out-of-home and web advertising, and parents and children can also find kid-friendly activities that further reinforce the food safety steps by visiting FoodSafety.gov.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7652251-ad-council-food-safety/
Quinny and Maxi-Cosi, premier European brands of Dorel Juvenile, a segment of Dorel Industries (TSX: DII.B, DII.A), and the world's largest juvenile products manufacturer in its categories, today announced its most luxurious collection yet, launching globally, from renowned designer, stylist and editor Rachel Zoe. Rachel Zoe x Quinny and Maxi-Cosi merges the brands’ design-forward, high quality and industry leading safety with Zoe’s unparalleled, award-winning fashion sensibility.
“We’re proud to collaborate with a designer of Rachel Zoe’s caliber,” said Dan Pennacchio, General Manager of Premium Brands at Dorel Juvenile USA. “Our partnership with Rachel once again asserts our expertise in providing style-conscious parents with the latest in designer baby gear. Her insights into the worlds of design and motherhood are captured in the collection’s chic, yet classic and functional aesthetic.”
With nearly two decades of experience in design and fashion, Zoe has become a household name embodying sophisticated, timeless style and Hollywood glamour. From designing her eponymous collection, and authoring two New York Times bestselling books, to acting as Editor-in-Chief of digital style destination The Zoe Report, and most recently returning to TV with Lifetime’s “Fashionably Late with Rachel Zoe,” her influence continues to grow. A mom to two young sons, Zoe’s recent, highly-acclaimed maternity wear collection for A Pea in the Pod exemplifies her ever-expanding appeal to women everywhere.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7662251-rachel-zoe-quinny-maxi-cosi/
The largest candy-consumption night of the year is right around the corner. More than 80 percent of parents say their kids will participate in a Halloween celebration (2), and when asked about concerns related to Halloween, more than two-thirds of parents say they are worried about their children’s teeth, according to a recent Ad Council survey (1). However, three out of four parents report that their kids sometimes or frequently forget to brush their teeth on a daily basis. With cavities being a top concern, the Kids’ Healthy Mouths campaign is celebrating National Brush Day® on Sunday, November 1, the day after Halloween, to emphasize the importance of brushing for two minutes, twice a day, every day.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7676151-kids-healthy-mouths-ad-council-brush-day/
(1), (2) The Ad Council’s survey was conducted by LightSpeed Research in September 2014. The nationally representative online survey included 600 parents with children 0-12.
Autism Speaks – the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization – today joined the Ad Council and BBDO New York, the long-time volunteer agency for Autism Speaks, to announce the launch of a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to help parents recognize the early signs of autism and take immediate action. For the first time in the campaign’s history, the new PSAs feature an imaginative world, created using 3D and stop-motion animation, inspired by stories of real children with autism and told from the perspective of a child with autism. The PSAs are an extension of the award-winning “Learn the Signs” campaign, created by BBDO, which has helped significantly increase the percentage of parents who recognize the early warning signs of autism.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7674151-ad-council-autism-speaks-psa-s-2015/
This February, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) is celebrating National Children’s Dental Health Month by hosting the Tournament of Tooth Care, showcasing how parents and caregivers can help their kids fend off the Mouth Monsters –a.k.a. tooth decay. Parents and caregivers can tune in to the Mouth Madness to learn how to help little teeth take on the Mouth Monsters one big game at a time.
“Tooth decay in children is a major health epidemic for adolescents across the country,” said Dr. Robert Delarosa, AAPD President. “National Children’s Dental Health Month is a great time for parents to keep their children’s dental health top of mind. Make it a priority this month to find a Dental Home – or home base – for your child’s oral health needs and be sure your next check-up is on the calendar.”
Tooth decay is one of the top chronic infectious diseases among children in the U.S. About 60 percent of children will have had tooth decay at some point by age five. More than 50 million school hours are missed every year by school-aged children in the U.S. due to dental visits or problems. And tooth decay isn’t just bad for oral health; children who develop tooth decay at a young age are at a greater risk for developing problems with oral and general health, as well as with educational and social development.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7750251-aapd-mouth-madness-dental-health/
The vehicles deemed the 16 Best Family Cars of 2016 were announced today by Kelley Blue Book, www.kbb.com, the only vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry. After extensive testing and evaluation, with a keen focus on safety, comfort, convenience, spaciousness for both passengers and cargo, and fit of various rear-facing and forward-facing child safety car seats, the KBB.com expert editors recommend their choices for a diverse group of vehicles that best meet the needs of today’s modern families.
“For two weeks’ time we drove, lived-with, folded-down-seats-of, paired-phones-to and installed-baby-seats-in each and every one of the contenders,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst of Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. “We loaded cargo, contorted ourselves into third rows, watched movies on rear-seat screens, toted rowing teams to marinas – in short, we did everything that you and your family might do with a vehicle day-to-day. And we did all this with a certain sense of what a family needs and wants, since many of our testers are simultaneously parents of kids ranging from mid-twenties to newborn. So this wasn’t just a cursory exercise, but instead it drew heavily upon our family-car experiences, needs and wants.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7748351-kelley-blue-book-best-family-cars-2016/
Cereal has been a breakfast staple for more than a century, and today, parents and kids are pouring a bowl at all hours of the day. Now, thanks to General Mills, there are more reasons than ever to love cereal and celebrate this year’s National Cereal Day on Monday, March 7.
To inspire coast-to-coast celebrations on the unofficial holiday, General Mills partnered with Food Network’s Chef Justin Warner who developed customized spoon-worthy, cereal-infused recipes. For details on how to plan a family-friendly #NationalCerealDay party complete with Chef Warner’s recipes for Trix Sunrise Chill Pie, Fruity Cheerios Coladas and Cocoa Puffs Beets, visit: A Taste of General Mills.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7766651-national-cereal-day-2016/
Spring is around the corner, and it won’t be long before it’s prom and graduation seasons for many high schoolers. Rites of passage for many, these are times for teens to celebrate, but can also be times of poor decision-making, especially when vehicles are involved. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 2,524 teen drivers and passengers were killed and 177,000 were injured in 2013. Twenty-seven percent of these fatalities occurred between April and June, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
“The statistics are staggering, especially when you consider that most of these accidents and fatalities are preventable,” said Randy Petro, Mercury Insurance’s chief claims officer. “We don’t want any families to suffer through the loss of a child, so Mercury is taking action with the launch of the ‘Mercury Insurance Drive Safe Challenge.’”
The Mercury Insurance Drive Safe Challenge kicked off with a free defensive driving program, which included hands-on driving skills training and classroom material. An interactive website provides teens with detailed instruction, as well as gives parents the tools to shape responsible driving behavior.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7772251-mercury-teen-drive-safe-challenge/