Nickelodeon to run healthy-eating PSAs with former President Clinton
Nickelodeon to run healthy-eating PSAs with former President Clinton
While in office, he wasn't well known for eating healthy, but former President Bill Clinton has signed up with Nickelodeon in a campaign to reach children in the fight against obesity.
Nickelodeon, the children's television network that has committed more than $28 million and 10 percent of its air time to health-and-wellness messaging, plans to run new public service announcements featuring Mr. Clinton and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckebee as they encourage kids to eat healthy and stay active.
"This issue is very close to me," Mr. Clinton said at an Oct. 19 press conference. "As a child, I was overweight and have struggled with my weight all my life. After my bypass surgery last year, I wanted to develop a program for young people so they know about the dangers of eating poorly and living an unhealthy lifestyle, and also so they know that there are options available to eat right and exercise."
The William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association teamed up in May to create the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, with the focus on finding ways to battle the childhood obesity epidemic.
Nickelodeon plans to air the ads as part of a larger campaign. "We are believers in big ideas at Nickelodeon and the goal of motivating kids to become a healthier generation is a huge opportunity for all of us," said Herb Scannell, president of Nickelodeon Networks. "And if we do our jobs right, kids will believe that being healthy is cool."
Following the press conference, Mr. Clinton held a town hall-style meeting, fielding questions about steps children can take to make healthy lifestyle choices. The meeting will be aired Nov. 13 as part of the "Nick News Special: The Fight to be Fit."
This latest announcement comes after a Nickelodeon agreement to use its characters to sell vegetables. The network's better-known characters -- SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer -- will appear on packages of baby carrots sold by Grimmway Farms and on bags of spinach sold by Boskovich Farms Inc.
Nickelodeon, the children's television network that has committed more than $28 million and 10 percent of its air time to health-and-wellness messaging, plans to run new public service announcements featuring Mr. Clinton and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckebee as they encourage kids to eat healthy and stay active.
"This issue is very close to me," Mr. Clinton said at an Oct. 19 press conference. "As a child, I was overweight and have struggled with my weight all my life. After my bypass surgery last year, I wanted to develop a program for young people so they know about the dangers of eating poorly and living an unhealthy lifestyle, and also so they know that there are options available to eat right and exercise."
The William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association teamed up in May to create the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, with the focus on finding ways to battle the childhood obesity epidemic.
Nickelodeon plans to air the ads as part of a larger campaign. "We are believers in big ideas at Nickelodeon and the goal of motivating kids to become a healthier generation is a huge opportunity for all of us," said Herb Scannell, president of Nickelodeon Networks. "And if we do our jobs right, kids will believe that being healthy is cool."
Following the press conference, Mr. Clinton held a town hall-style meeting, fielding questions about steps children can take to make healthy lifestyle choices. The meeting will be aired Nov. 13 as part of the "Nick News Special: The Fight to be Fit."
This latest announcement comes after a Nickelodeon agreement to use its characters to sell vegetables. The network's better-known characters -- SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer -- will appear on packages of baby carrots sold by Grimmway Farms and on bags of spinach sold by Boskovich Farms Inc.