General Mills Announces Commitment to Coalition for Healthy Children

02/02/07 General Mills has announced its commitment to promote the Ad Council’s Coalition for Healthy Children message of nutritional balance, portion control and physical activity. Beginning this summer, the company will communicate these messages via advertising, packaging and a new Web site in kid-friendly, motivating ways. General Mills is one of several member organizations that make up the Ad Council’s Coalition for Healthy Children.

“General Mills has always been a leader, innovating to make people’s lives healthier, and we want to be part of the solution to this issue,” says Marc Belton, Executive Vice president, Worldwide Health, Brand and New Business Development for General Mills. “This initiative is an important step forward. As a charter supporter, we’re going to apply our skills and talents to addressing this key issue, and we are excited to make this commitment today.”

Starting this summer an unprecedented 500 million packages on products consumed by children 12 or younger will feature the Coalition for Healthy Children’s research-based messages. A new website will offer a relevant, engaging way for kids to learn more. The “call-to-action” communication will be developed by the same creative teams which develop the Company’s advertising to children on approved brands.

In January 2008, General Mills will expand its communication to television advertising on programs for children 12 or younger as well as in brand Free-Standing Inserts (FSIs) targeting parents.

The Ad Council’s Coalition for Healthy Children was initiated in 2005 to help combat childhood obesity by developing consistent, research-based messaging for marketers, media, government agencies, non-profits, academics and the private sector. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provided support for the Ad Council's research and development of these health messages, which will ultimately be disseminated to the public by Coalition member organizations such as

PepsiCo, General Mills, Kraft Foods, Kellogg, Coca-Cola, SUBWAY, McDonald's, American Heart Association, Girl Scouts of the USA, Shaping America's Health, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and Univision Communications.

During 2007 and 2008, the Coalition will provide messaging and creative material for its members to use in their own communications, including an online presence across major marketers, non profits and government agency Web sites, in-store and on-pack promotions sponsored by advertisers and significant media commitments.