Diet Coke Teams Up to Increase Women’s Heart Disease Awareness

10/01/08 Diet Coke and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health have joined forces to raise awareness about women's risk of heart disease -- in support of NHLBI's The Heart Truth campaign -- with a multi-faceted program that will reach consumers across the nation. To celebrate American Heart Month in February, Diet Coke's Red Dress Program will take center stage at high-profile events, including sponsorship of The Heart Truth's, Red Dress Collection fashion show at Fashion Week 2008. Diet Coke will also unveil new packaging and programs featuring The Heart Truth and Red Dress logos and messages on heart health.

"Our research with consumers has told us that women today are increasingly mindful of making choices that positively impact their lives. For them, drinking Diet Coke is an essential part of their modern pursuit of well-being," said Katie Bayne, chief marketing officer, Coca-Cola North America. "Through this partnership, Diet Coke can help raise awareness about heart disease, the number one killer of women, while showing women how to incorporate heart health into their lives."

The program will kick off on February 1, National Wear Red Day, when Diet Coke presents the annual Red Dress Collection Fashion Show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2008. In what's become one of the hottest tickets at Fashion Week, the Red Dress Collection will feature one-of-a-kind dresses made by top fashion designers and worn by celebrities on the runway to show their support of The Heart Truth campaign and the Red Dress – the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness.

From mid-February through April, Diet Coke will bring The Heart Truth message to communities by taking The Heart Truth Road Show on tour to ten U.S. cities. At this traveling exhibit, six celebrity-worn red dresses will be displayed and free heart health screenings and educational materials will be offered to consumers. The Heart Truth Road Show will visit shopping malls in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Dallas, Houston, Minneapolis, Palm Beach, Cincinnati, Birmingham and Charleston.

"We hope that this collaborative effort will help us continue to reach millions of American women with our critical message of heart health. A variety of activities, including screenings and provision of educational materials to communities across the country are planned. We look forward to working together to carry out our commitments to continue to raise awareness about The Heart Truth," said Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D., Director, NHLBI.

Heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the U.S.1, yet most women fail to make the connection between risk factors and their personal risk of developing the disease. The Heart Truth campaign encourages women to take steps to prevent heart disease – talk to their doctor, find out their risk and take action today to lower it.

In support of raising awareness of women's heart disease Diet Coke will unveil new packaging featuring The Heart Truth and Red Dress logos on Diet Coke, Caffeine-Free Diet Coke and Diet Coke Plus products.

Two and a half billion new packages, which include tips and information on women's heart health, will be on shelves from January 22 through May 31. Diet Coke will amplify the message through a national television, print and online advertising campaign. Additionally, Diet Coke will be making a contribution to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, which will be used to further efforts of women's heart health awareness and research.

Coca-Cola North America will also launch a nationwide program to help raise awareness and provide education about women's heart disease among its own associates. The month-long campaign will reach more than 5,000 associates through heart-health activities such as educational luncheons and on-site health screenings.

The Heart Truth is a national awareness campaign created by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services2, that warns women about their number one health risk, heart disease, and the need to take action against its risk factors. Designed to warn women of their #1 health threat, The Heart Truth created and introduced the Red Dress as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness in 2002 to deliver an urgent wakeup call to American women. The Red Dress reminds women of the need to protect their heart health and inspires them to take action. The Heart Truth is being conducted in partnership with the American Heart Association (AHA), Office on Women's Health (DHHS), and WomenHeart: the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease.