Diet Coke teams up with NHLBI to raise women’s heart disease awareness

ATLANTA Diet Coke today announced that it has joined forces with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health to raise awareness about women’s risk of heart disease in support of NHLBI’s The Heart Truth campaign.

“Through this partnership, Diet Coke can help raise awareness about heart disease, the number one killer of women, while showing women how to incorporate heart health into their lives,” said Katie Bayne, chief marketing officer, Coca-Cola North America.

The program will kick off Feb. 1, to celebrate the beginning of American Hearth Month, when Diet Coke sponsors The Heart Truth’s Red Dress Collection at Fashion Week 2008. The collection will feature one-of-a-kind dresses made by top fashion designers and worn by celebrities on the runway to show their support of The Heart Truth campaign and the Red Dress—the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness.Diet Coke also will unveil new packaging and programs featuring Red Dress logos and tips and information on women’s heart health.

From mid-February through April, Diet Coke will bring The Heart Truth message to communities by taking The Heart Truth Road Show on tour to Los Angeles, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Dallas, Houston, Minneapolis, Palm Beach, Fla., Cincinnati, Birmingham, Ala., and Charleston, S.C.. The traveling exhibit will feature six celebrity-worn red dresses, free heart health screenings and educational materials will be offered to consumers.

Starting Jan. 17, consumers can find more information on the Diet Coke’s Red Dress Program at www.mycokerewards.com. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States and The Heart Truth campaign encourages women to take steps to prevent heart disease.