Post Food’s Shredded Wheat cereal is pumping some money into the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s The Heart Truth campaign as a contributing sponsor.
Launched in February 2008, Heart Truth is the foundation’s national campaign to raise awareness that heart disease and stroke are the leading cause of death for Canadian women.
“Post is passionate about The Heart Truth campaign because it engages Canadians to not only take interest, but also take action, in managing their heart health,” said Jennifer Dumoulin, director of marketing for Post Foods, in a release.
“A great step to help reduce the risk of heart disease is eating right,” she said, noting that Shredded Wheat “is made with a 100% whole grain wheat with no added salt or sugar.”
The cereal brand is supporting the national effort with an on-pack promotion and contest. Those who purchase a specially-marked box of Shredded Wheat get a PIN code to use at the contest microsite to receive a Red Dress pin–the official symbol of the Heart Truth campaign.
Consumers can also enter to win a custom-designed red dress by Canadian designer David Dixon and a trip for two to the 2011 The Heart Truth Fashion Show at Toronto’s LG Fashion Week.
According to a Harris/Decima study conducted in August 2010 on behalf of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, 63% of women who have heard of the campaign have or are likely to make changes to their lifestyle as a result.
While the campaign has helped increase awareness, it was met with some controversy in March 2010, when actor and director Sarah Polley pulled her name from a short film she made in support of the Foundation after she learned her work would also promote a “product.”
The two-minute feature titled The Heart was set to air during the 2010 Academy Awards broadcast on CTV. In a statement released only days before the release date, Polley said she’s “never actively promoted any corporate brand, and cannot do so now.”
