VBS initiates ‘force for good’ advertising initiative to promote healthy eating

Viacom Brand Solutions (VBS) – the sales house for MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon and Paramount Comedy – is taking the lead to promote advertising as a ‘force for good’ in tackling societal issues including child obesity.

Meeting with food industry experts and nutritionists at the Westminster Food & Nutrition Forum Keynote Seminar last week (19.03.08), VBS announced it had secured new food product Kidsnax as its first health food partner of the ‘force for good’ initiative.

Matching advertising investments pound for pound, the initiative aims to encourage the industry to use the power of TV demonstrating that the medium can and should be deployed more expansively as a force for good to positively change behaviour, on issues such as health and the environment.

The collaborative approach from VBS has been devised to show that the promotion of healthy food alternatives will drive a greater change of attitudes towards food than advertising bans.

Kidsnax is a new competitor to the growing health food market, launched by entrepreneur Mark Gould this month. Using Nickelodeon characters such as Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob Squarepants, the Kidsnax TV campaign will promote Kidsnax health bars and snacks as healthy and tasty snack options.

Launching in May, the 30 second Kidsnax TV spot will air across the Nickelodeon channels. The bespoke TV campaign, created and planned by VBS, will use the Nickelodeon characters to drive awareness of Kidsnax products such as the Real Fruit Bars which contain 99.9% real fruit, highlighting to children that healthy food can be tasty and an alternative to crisps and confectionary.

The Kidsnax campaign follows on from the success of the Ella’s Kitchen campaign created by VBS in 2006. The shared-risk airtime campaign was developed to drive vital distribution of its 100% organic health food snacks and the success demonstrated the VBS partnership was vital in promoting healthy food choices to kids and putting the products within reach of consumers.

Nick Bampton, MD of VBS said: “VBS is committed to proving that advertising can be a force for good. Our partnership with Kidsnax has led to a bespoke TV campaign that engages with children to communicate the importance of healthy snack alternatives.”

Mark Gould, Managing Director for Kidsnax said: “Children are exposed to many snack alternatives, not all of which are good for them. This campaign will allow us tap into the youth audience of these channels and generate awareness of our healthy snack options, encouraging children to make more beneficial choices.”

The Kidsnax deal is the second of ten to be announced in 2008. In February, VBS announced the first deal in the FFG initiative to promote fire safety with the CLG.

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For further information please contact:
Georgina Lipscomb
Propeller Communications
T: 0870 066 4608 / 07737 388414
E: firstname.surname@propellercom.com

About the campaign:

The Kidsnax campaign will run during May across Nickelodeon channels. As part of the first phase of the launch strategy, the TV campaign will promote Kidsnax health fruit bars and snack packs which launch in March 2008.


About Viacom Brand Solutions

Viacom Brand Solutions UK (VBS UK), a brand focused sales house, was established in January 2001 after MTV Networks UK won the sales contracts for Nickelodeon and Paramount Comedy.

VBS UK represents all the brands of MTV Networks UK – MTV ONE, MTV ONE+1, MTV HITS, MTV DANCE, MTV TWO, MTV BASE, VH1, VH1 Classic, TMF, Nickelodeon, Nick Replay, Nick Jr, NickJr2, Nicktoons, Paramount Comedy 1, Paramount Comedy 1 + 1, Paramount Comedy 2 and Paramount Comedy 2 + 1. VBS UK also represents E! Entertainment.

The sales team works with UK agencies and clients to develop solutions based around its youth and entertainment brands. In addition to selling airtime, the team also sell creative solutions driven by sponsorship, promotions, events, new media and licensing opportunities.

VBS UK can provide advertisers with top quality, appropriate and distinctive creative solutions at highly competitive rates, allowing many new advertisers to adopt TV advertising as an effective and efficient communication option.

In March 2004 Viacom Brand Solutions teamed up with Capital Radio Group and IPC ignite! to form a commercial alliance to create RSVP, a new one-stop service for media agencies and advertisers targeting youth audiences.

For more information, please visit www.viacombrandsolutions.co.uk

This release was published on openPR.