09.01.07
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), Washington, D.C., has launched a multi-year, multimillion-dollar public relations campaign called “Life…supplemented,” which focuses on the 150 million+ Americans who take dietary supplements each year. According to Judy Blatman, vice president, Communications, CRN, “This type of industry-wide lifestyle public relations program is a first for our industry, looking beyond the scientific reasons why taking supplements makes good sense, and focusing on the ‘whys and ways’ that healthy people incorporate supplements as part of the smart things they do for their well-being.” CRT/tanaka, an award-winning public relations and marketing firm was awarded the business. Says Ms. Blatman, “They immediately understood that our industry needed to do a better job defining who we are. Somehow the supplement category has been pegged as ‘alternative’ when in fact, as the agency pointed out to us, with approximately two-thirds of adults in this country taking supplements, we’re about as mainstream as you can get.” The program will be executed in three stages. Year One, using just over $1 million raised from 25 companies in the industry, will lay the groundwork, starting with the launch of a microsite dedicated to providing consumers with information on the pillars of a healthy lifestyle and offering a fun, unique online tool to help them get started on their personal wellness regimen. In addition, the program will focus on lifestyle research projects that will be shared with the public via the microsite and publicity. Years Two and Three will build upon first-year efforts.
