General Mills is reinforcing the health-and-wellness positioning of Oatmeal Crisp cereal through a tie-in with the American Stroke Association.
Oatmeal Crisp promotes the association’s Power to End Stroke campaign with on-pack and online profiles of stroke survivors.
The effort begins this month, showcasing John Hopkins and Linda Stuart on the back panel of Oatmeal Crisp boxes and on the brand’s dedicated Web site, OatmealCrispCereal.com. The site also carries a link to the stroke association’s own Web site, where visitors can sign a Power to End Stroke pledge.
The tie-in lets General Mills tout the significance of whole grains and potassium to help prevent stroke. Oatmeal Crisp’s two flavors, Hearty Raisin and Maple Brown Sugar, are made with whole grains, as are all General Mills cereals.
Hopkins, a jazz pianist, had a stroke when he was 46. Since recovering, he has given music lessons to senior citizens and disabled adults through the non-profit program Age & Play.
Stuart, an aerobics dance instructor who persistently sought treatment when she saw signs that she had a stroke, has since created a class called Aerobic Boogie, for women of all ages and physical abilities.
The Power to End Stroke campaign is targeted to African-Americans, who are at higher risk for stroke. The association teamed up with Rendezvous Entertainment in November to release a tribute album to Luther Vandross, who died from a stroke in 2005. Portions of the album sales go to the stroke association, which is a division of the American Heart Association.
Last month, General Mills’ Cheerios brand launched a three-year program awarding a $5,000 grant to each of five “Angeles de mi Corazon” (Heart Angels) who work to fight heart disease. That campaign, targeting Hispanics, is part of Cheerios’ ongoing Circle of Helping Hearts initiative to increase awareness of heart health. In 2007 and 2008, Cheerios will donate $500,000 to WomenHeart, a national coalition of women with heart disease, to fund awareness programs to reach Hispanic women.
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