Expanded Partnership Activities in February 2008

Corporate partners make possible the campaign's signature event, the Red Dress Collection Fashion Show, which will take place on National Wear Red Day—Friday, February 1 at New York's Fashion Week.  For American Heart Month, we will also launch a new partnership between NHLBI and Diet Coke, with Diet Coke serving as presenting sponsor of Red Dress Collection 2008, joined by national sponsors Swarovski and Johnson & Johnson.  This new collaboration with Diet Coke will combine the power of the Red Dress symbol with the marketing power of one of the world's most recognizable brands to reach millions of women with campaign messages and risk factor screenings.  The partnership also includes Diet Coke's presenting sponsorship of The Heart Truth Road Show, bringing heart health screenings to 10 U.S. cities in the spring of 2008; new packaging featuring The Heart Truth and Red Dress symbol; media advertising; and comprehensive internal employee outreach programs.  Diet Coke will also donate funds to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health in support of women's heart health awareness and research.  The partnership includes a February - May 2008 pilot program involving NHLBI/Diet Coke collaboration on a survey to determine awareness of heart disease among women and the impact of this partnership to reach women.

Many of the campaign's long-standing partners will also host activities in support of The Heart Truth in February.  General Mills will distribute a special line of cereal boxes featuring the Red Dress symbol and heart health information for consumers; Johnson & Johnson returns as a national sponsor of Red Dress Collection 2008 and will promote women's heart health through its corporate communications and employee events; and Swarovski, also a returning national sponsor of Red Dress Collection 2008, is hosting a series of in-store events featuring Red Dress displays and launching a new Swarovski Red Dress pin.