Northwestern Mutual, presenting sponsor of the 2016 Rose Bowl Game®, today unveiled its float design for the 127th Rose Parade® presented by Honda. Titled Dancing into Adventure, it will draw attention to the fight against childhood cancer by showcasing the greatest adventure and dream of Peyton Richardson, a 13-year-old aspiring ballerina from Sugar Land, Texas, who is battling leukemia.
The theme of this year’s parade is Find Your Adventure. As an aspiring ballerina, Peyton wants to travel the world to see performances from the world’s most distinguished ballet companies and have a dance lesson with their principal dancers. Northwestern Mutual is using its sponsorship to bring Peyton’s adventure to life in flowers and raise awareness about childhood cancer.
“Peyton’s unique, positive way of using ballet to battle cancer and stay focused on her dream is truly amazing,” said Conrad York, vice president of marketing at Northwestern Mutual. “At Northwestern Mutual, we know that each family has a dream in mind for their future, and we are here to support them every step of the way.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7422155-northwestern-mutual-rose-parade-float/
Today in Times Square, thousands of visitors joined actor and Operation Smile Ambassador Zachary Levi; celebrity photographer and USO Ambassador Nigel Barker; actress and United Nations Foundation’s Girl Up Ambassador Katherine McNamara; and Save the Children to kick off the “season of giving” with the free Donate a Photo app from Johnson & Johnson.
Visitors to the interactive giving experience learned how they can, literally, give back in a snap by turning something they do every day – taking a photo – into a way to raise funds and awareness for causes they care about. For every photo shared through the app, Johnson & Johnson donates $1 to one of its trusted non-profit partners, chosen by the user from a rotating list of causes.
Anyone can participate by downloading the Donate a Photo app from the Apple App Store or through Google Play. From there, it’s as simple as picking a cause to support, uploading a photo and sharing on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the handle @DonateaPhoto and #JNJ, #DonateaPhoto, #365DaysofCare or #DonateEveryday.
“Funds raised through Donate a Photo are just a small part of our long-standing commitment to caring for and supporting children and families around the world,” said Michael Sneed, Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs for Johnson & Johnson.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7263551-donate-a-photo-operation-smile/
As 2015 starts to wind down, Americans are already starting to make travel plans for 2016. But what are Americans–particularly Baby Boomers–looking for in their 2016 vacations?
A new survey released today from AARP Travel (http://travel.aarp.org), a valuable resource for America's 76 million Baby Boomers who spend over $120 billion annually in leisure travel, provides some great insight into how Americans want to get away in 2016, from desired destinations to lodging options to favorite trip planning tools.
“The vast majority of Baby Boomers are planning to drive, fly or set sail on leisure trips in 2016, with an average of 4 or 5 trips already in the works,” said Stephanie Miles, VP, Products & Platforms, AARP. “Boomers make up a large segment of the traveling public, and so it's particularly important for the travel industry to be aware of what Boomers are looking for in their vacations going into 2016. This new survey finds that their travel desires often differ greatly from younger travelers.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7488431-aarp-travel/
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, today announces the launch of the Holiday Inn Express® brand’s all-new BREAKFA-moji keyboard, available for free download via the iTunes App Store and Google Play. The new keyboard, a first of its kind for any hotel brand, features 25 playful breakfast characters, and just like the brand’s Express Start™ breakfast bar, offers something for everyone - from cinnamon rolls and sausage to oatmeal and yogurt, and of course, the brand’s beloved one-touch pancake machine.
Jennifer Gribble, Vice President, Holiday Inn Express® Brand, Americas, IHG said: “This year, we have been going big on breakfast, and specifically our one-touch pancake machine, which we think is the smartest breakfast gadget out there. With the launch of our new BREAKFA-mojis, we are further integrating breakfast and technology, giving people a fun and creative way to share their love of breakfast and the many delicious choices available at Holiday Inn Express hotels with their friends and family.”
According to the 2015 Emoji Report1, emojis are the fastest growing language in history, and are used by 92 percent of the online population. Frequent users feel that emojis express their feelings better than words. When it comes to a love of breakfast, the Holiday Inn Express brand believes there is no better way to say “I love pancakes” than through a work of emoji art.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7689351-holiday-inn-express-breakfast-emoji/
When the designers for the Scion C-HR Concept began their research, they were told by young urban creative customers, “Polarizing is ok. Boring is not.” That sentiment was evident today as the Scion C-HR Concept had its World Debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
With an iconic design that also incorporates functionality and sporty performance, the Scion C-HR Concept is much like Scion’s customer in that it strives to stand out from the crowd.
“Scion is known for doing things differently, and maybe even being a little weird,” said Scion Vice President Andrew Gilleland. “This C-HR Concept embraces that idea and wears it like a badge of honor. We couldn’t be more excited to add the production version to our line-up.”
The C-HR Concept is named for its Compact size and High Ride height. With four doors and a hatch for supreme functionality, it’s the perfect vehicle for “yuccies,” the young urban creatives who inspired the design.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7697651-los-angeles-auto-show-laas-2015/
Jewelry Television (JTV), the only shopping network focused exclusively on the sale of fine jewelry and gemstones, is celebrating the holiday season with eight days of exclusive savings and offers. From Nov. 23 through Nov. 30, JTV's customers will be able to purchase select gifts and jewelry up to 70 percent off. Early holiday shoppers can take advantage of special offers and savings on jewelry, gemstones and more each day, online and during programming on JTV.
“Every year, holiday shoppers try to get an earlier head start on their shopping,” said Jill Johnson, vice president of marketing at JTV. “With our weeklong Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, customers can enjoy the holidays with their families while shopping from home.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7372631-jewelry-television/
Food Network kicks off the New Year with a new season of Worst Cooks in America, the hit competition series that transforms kitchen disasters into skilled cooks, and five-time winner Chef Anne Burrell returning for a rematch against Chef Tyler Florence. Premiering on Sunday, January 3rd at 9pm ET/PT, the seven episode series pits Anne against Tyler, each leading a team of disastrous cooks in an intense kitchen boot camp designed to vastly improve the food skills of their recruits. The contestant who makes the most impressive culinary transformation is awarded a $25,000 grand prize, in addition to delivering victory and bragging rights for their team leader.
“Worst Cooks is comical, competitive and ultimately, inspiring,” said Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Food Network. “Under Anne and Tyler's guidance, these cooking-challenged contenders transform their hilarious kitchen blunders to refined culinary techniques - and the journey is truly entertaining to watch.”
In the season premiere, Anne and Tyler are confronted with some of the worst cooks they've ever seen during an open casting call. They then chose fourteen recruits including a lunch lady, truck driver, Army veteran and special education teacher to send to boot camp, and each contestant whips up the “offending dish” that landed them in hot water. After a stomach-wrenching tasting, Anne and Tyler pick their teams and attempt to teach them to make a well-balanced meal. Two recruits are not up to the task, and are sent home. Upcoming episodes feature a game show - style battle called “Family Food,” internationally-flavored empanada and Asian street food challenges and a visit from the competitors’ loved ones. The season culminates in a finale on Sunday, February 14th at 9pm ET/PT where the most improved recruit is awarded $25,000 and bragging rights for their mentor.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7619231-food-network-worst-cooks-in-america/
Kia Motors America (KMA) today unveiled the all-new 2017 Sportage at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The fourth-generation Sportage, KMA’s longest-running nameplate, wraps stunning contemporary design around a structure that is both stiffer and more spacious than before. Advanced driver assistance technologies, significant suspension and steering improvements, and available intelligent AWD vastly improve the Sportage’s driving dynamics while premium materials and world-class craftsmanship create a class-up experience in an otherwise utilitarian segment.
“Simply put, the Sportage is a breed apart in the compact CUV segment,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning KMA. “Instead of bland utility, the Sportage combines distinctly European and sporty styling with thoughtful design and functionality, including innovative packaging, premium materials, a turbocharged engine and surprising features. Sales of compact CUVs are on a sharply upward trajectory, and the all-new 2017 Sportage hits the sweet spot by providing an alternative for those seeking to express themselves with a vehicle that’s versatile enough to suit their unique lifestyle.”
The all-new Sportage’s roomier, more luxurious cabin features an impressive level of craftsmanship, with high-quality, soft-touch materials and a range of technologies improving overall comfort, convenience, and connectivity. Updates to the drivetrain provide enhanced efficiency and performance, while changes to the suspension deliver better ride and handling. Like the outgoing model, the all-new Sportage will be built at Kia’s production facility in Gwangju, Korea, and be available in three distinct trim levels (LX, EX, SX Turbo) when it goes on sale next year. Pricing will be announced closer to the Sportage’s on-sale date.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7436354-2017-kia-sportage-l-a-auto-show-debut/
With seven-in-ten Americans (69%)1 saying that spending time with family and friends is what they most look forward to during the holidays, T.J.Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods are celebrating the values that make the season truly special by launching “Bring Back the Holidays,” a campaign that focuses on people and creates opportunities to bring them together.
“There are few moments throughout the year when family and friends are in the same place at the same time, and we want people to put value on what really matters during the holidays… these special times together,” said Gina Bollus, spokesperson for T.J.Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods. “Our stores offer thoughtful gifts at amazing prices every day so that you can cherish that precious time with your family and friends and shop on your time, instead of rushing out for the short-lived holiday deal.”
In the new campaign, T.J.Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods imagine a world where door busters refer to loved ones pouring through your front door and the four-letter word that defines the season is L-O-V-E and not S-A-L-E.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7680551-tjmaxx-marshalls-homegoods-holiday-coupons/
Christina Nicols, senior vice president and director of strategic planning and research at Hager Sharp, was named the Washington Women in Public Relations’ (WWPR) 2015 Washington PR Woman of the Year Friday in a ceremony honoring top public relations executives and celebrating women in communications.
Nicols was one of three public relations professionals chosen as an honoree for the 26th annual award. The other finalists were Carrie Fox, president of C. Fox Communications, and Lisa Throckmorton, chief operations officer at SpeakerBox Communications. The three finalists represent women who have led some of the most influential communications campaigns in the District and across the country.
“This is a phenomenal honor and I am humbled to be surrounded by such exemplary leaders in the field who are dedicated to mentoring and supporting the next generation of public relations professionals,” said Nicols. “It is a special privilege to join the ranks of previous PR Woman of the Year recipients including Hager Sharp’s own cofounders Susan Hager and Marcia Sharp, as well as our CEO Jennifer Wayman and executive vice president Debra Silimeo.”
Nicols was presented the award by Silimeo, the 2010 PR Woman of the Year, at Friday’s luncheon.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7695751-2015-wwpr-woman-of-the-year-award/
Florida residents previewed Honey Nut Cheerios' one-of-a-kind living billboard, just outside of Orlando, to celebrate the classic cereal’s key ingredient –real honey. Much more than just a billboard installation, the three-story free-standing structure was home to more than 100,000 honeybees. The honey produced from the working hives was used to spell out “Made with Real Honey” on the exterior of the installation. The local Florida honey was used to produce a limited number of exclusive boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios.
Constructed in the farm fields at Diamond P Farm and Ranch, the honey-bees used in the creation of the billboard were supplied in partnership with Brent Dickson and his family, who are local Orlando bee-keepers. True to standards, most of the beekeepers who make the honey for Honey Nut Cheerios run family businesses and depend on their bees to make a living.
“Honey is more than just an ingredient – it’s the flavor at the heart of Honey Nut Cheerios. And that’s why we thought there was no better way to explain just how real the honey is that goes into Honey Nut Cheerios than by physically showing it,” said Jared Pippin, senior associate marketing manager at General Mills. “We wanted to honor the honeybees and show our support for the dedicated beekeepers who love honey just as much as we do.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7672051-honey-nut-cheerios-bee-to-bowl/
As part of their ongoing Stop the Texts. Stop the Wrecks. Texting and Driving Prevention campaign, the Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are partnering with YouTube creator and actress Meg DeAngelis to raise awareness of this dangerous behavior. The collaboration also coincides with the release of new television campaign public service advertisements (PSAs) and the launch of Project Yellow Light, a national video contest and scholarship program that aims to educate young drivers on and generate engagement around this issue.
Meg is joining the effort as part of the Ad Council’s Creators for Good program by distributing new exclusive video content to her almost four million subscribers on YouTube. The video amplifies the campaign message, showing drivers that no matter how “safely” they think they can drive while doing other things, distracted driving is always dangerous. Created as an advice video, Meg runs through “10 Everyday Things You’re Doing Wrong” - from putting in bobby pins to folding your clothes - and ends with a serious message to her fans about the dangers of texting and driving.
“Texting and driving is such a serious issue, so I'm really proud to be a voice of this important campaign,” said DeAngelis. “I want all of my viewers to stay safe, so I hope that together, we can spread the word on the dangers of distracted driving.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7682151-ad-council-project-yellow-light/