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/
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/
Three of the Internet’s most beloved pets are teaming up to help the millions of cats and dogs in shelters and rescue groups across the country find loving homes. Fashion icon Toast Meets World, globally recognized pianist Keyboard Cat and life of the party Hamilton Pug are lending their star power to “Start A Story. Adopt,” a new public service advertising (PSA) campaign from The Shelter Pet Project, a collaborative effort between Maddie’s Fund®, The Humane Society of the United States and the Ad Council.
Toast Meets World, Keyboard Cat and Hamilton Pug receive millions of views, likes and shares on social media, but most people don’t know they were adopted. Created pro bono by J. Walter Thompson New York, these new PSAs share these pets’ unique stories, which all began in shelters and rescue groups, and highlight the special bonds between the pets and their families. Prospective owners are encouraged to visit TheShelterPetProject.org to learn more about the adoption process and search for adoptable pets at shelters and rescue groups near them. Adoption advocates are also encouraged to support the effort on social media by using the hashtag #StartAStoryAdopt to share stories of how their shelter pets changed their lives for the better and to encourage others to start their own stories by adopting an amazing shelter dog or cat today.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7747051-ad-council-shelter-pets-project/
General Mills announces its 150th birthday today with plans for a year-long celebration. To celebrate its impact on a century and a half of food around the world, General Mills will share and highlight nostalgic food memorabilia from its historical archives. And honoring its journey of developing leading brands, life-changing inventions and cultural icons, General Mills is pledging “a future of continued innovation – and striving to help make its communities and the world a better place.”
“Ours is a rich history,” said Ken Powell, chairman and chief executive of General Mills. “Morning, noon and night, for 150 years, General Mills has served the world by making food people love. Today we proudly bring quality foods and leading brands to people in 130 countries around the world – and we’re especially excited about all we will do in our next 150 years.”
To view the multimedia release go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7728051-general-mills-150-th-birthday/
Clayton, one of America’s largest homebuilders, announced the launch of a customer-driven ‘Clayton Built™ Storytelling’ initiative. The video series reinforces the national homebuilder’s purpose of opening doors to a better life, one home a time, through the eyes of manufactured and modular homeowners across America. The goal of the series is to tell the before and after stories of real customers who purchased Clayton Built™ homes.
The first video in the series tells the story of long-time spouses, Lucille and Lee Allen, as they reflect on the past 10 years of living in a Clayton Built™ home. The couple recounts this pivotal point in their lives and the excitement they experienced as their new home was delivered. They marvel as the home is built in steps by trained craftsmen and assembled in two sections at the final home site.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7716451-clayton-homes-storytelling-campaign/
For a group of budding business people, living with senior citizens for five days gives impetus to their dreams. It also encourages innovation that could improve the lives of the aging. They are all participants in Brookdale’s Entrepreneur in Residence program, part of the company’s “Rewiring Aging” initiative to enrich seniors’ lives through technology. Recently launched by America’s largest senior living provider, the program offers those entrepreneurs developing products and services for seniors the opportunity to move in for that period of time so they can better understand the true wants and needs of the aging.
“The majority of start-ups focus on younger markets, but we have seen a growing number of entrepreneurs interested in building solutions for seniors and their families” said Andrew Smith, Brookdale’s director of strategy and innovation. “The 80 and above age group is America’s fastest-growing population. We believe there’s an enormous opportunity to enhance seniors’ lives with new technologies, services, products and business models. This program gives entrepreneurs a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we hope will inspire even more innovation for the aging.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7722155-brookdale-senior-living-innovate/
Globally, 1.2 billion people have no access to electricity. On the occasion of VELUX 75th anniversary the company decided to address this issue. Together with the social business Little Sun and the NGO Plan International they are collaborating to bring clean, reliable and affordable light to off-grid regions in Zambia, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe.
14,500 Natural Light lamps from the VELUX Group have now arrived in Africa and the first recipients can already look forward to a better quality of life.
Among them are young girls between 10 and 18 years of age who live in a safe house in the slum area Mntendere in the Zambian capital Lusaka.
"The lamps mean the girls can do their homework when they get back from school and can feel safer at night, instead of huddling together in the dark after sunset. And it’s particularly important for our children that they feel safe – many are carrying the mental baggage such as the trauma of violence, rape or drugs," says safe house manager Verann Delarey.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7769151-velux-natural-light-and-life-zambia/
The Epilepsy Foundation launched the “Talk About It!” public service announcement featuring actor Greg Grunberg to raise awareness and encourage open dialogue about epilepsy and seizures. Greg, best known for his roles on Heroes, Alias, and Felicity, has an adult son who lives with epilepsy, a condition that affects nearly 3 million Americans. The Epilepsy Foundation and Greg teamed up for this PSA, sponsored by Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc., to drive much needed conversation about epilepsy – bringing the condition out of the shadows and honoring a community that deserves better awareness and understanding. More information about the PSA and initiative can be found by visiting the Epilepsy Foundation at epilepsy.com.
Rowenta, maker of the revolutionary new air purifier the Intense Pure Air, is collaborating with renowned Environmental Toxicologist Dr. Noreen Khan-Mayberry (aka “The Tox Doc”), to help allergy sufferers better manage their symptoms. An estimated 50 million Americans are allergic to dust, dander, mold and mites, which can cause trouble breathing, excessive sneezing, eye irritation and coughing, amongst other ailments.
Seasonal allergies affect approximately 30% of U.S. residents and are worsening due to climate change, which is not only causing an increase in pollen levels, but also extending the length of pollen season. As such, allergy sufferers and people with asthma and other respiratory issues are at an even greater risk for heightened symptoms both indoors and outdoors.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7779051-rowenta-intense-allergen-air-purifier/
Startup or big player – which is more flexible, more agile, better? Over 400 startups have
come to Hannover to link up with big multinational corporations. We visited them at the
CeBIT show to find out who is learning from whom, and what new initiatives are emerging.
Leading smartphone brand Vivo officially announced the launch of its V3 and V3Max smartphones at a product release conference in Mumbai, India on April 5.
• Faster Operation with 4GB RAM
• Fast charging of five minutes for two-hour music playback
• Refine metallic body with 7.55 to 7.58mm slim design
• Faster fingerprint unlocking
• Hi-Fi quality sound
• Super-fast Shots
Part of Vivo’s 2016 V Series, the V3 and V3Max have a stylish, all-metal case design that not only guarantees durability, but also makes the phones much slimmer -- only 7.55 to 7.58mm in thickness.
In addition to a stylish exterior the new smartphones aim to provide a more efficient, fluent and enjoyable video and audio experience with modern phone users around the world in mind.
The V3Max combines 4GB RAM with a Snapdragon Octa-Core CPU to boost stability and speed with performance 100% better than is predecessor. The camera takes a mere 0.7 seconds to start up and features PDAF technology to focus project in 0.1 seconds. Combining with the extra-large 5.5-inch screen the camera offers the best photo and video viewing experience.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7800151-vivo-v3max-smartphone/
For the next six weeks, America’s PrepareAthon! and other preparedness partners will focus on various hazards and provide simple actions that people and communities should take to prepare for each particular hazard.
This first week highlights floods. Individuals, communities, businesses, schools, and houses of worship around the country are holding preparedness discussions, conducting drills, and taking easy steps to prepare for floods and other disasters.
America’s PrepareAthon!℠ is a grassroots, community-based campaign for action to get families, organizations, and entire communities better prepared for floods and other emergencies.
According to the National Weather Service, flooding, which can occur anywhere in America, proved to be the most costly hazard in 2015, exceeding $2.7 billion in damages.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7770531-fema-national-prepareathon/#release