Childhood icon Strawberry Shortcake has been updated for a new generation with a preference for real fruit rather than fruit flavored desserts in an effort to encourage kids to increase their consumption of fruit.
As part of the character’s fruit-forward makeover, American Greetings Corporation and its global licensing agent Cookie Jar Entertainment have entered into a year-long partnership with Produce for Better health Foundation’s (PBH) Fruits & Veggies-More Matters national public health initiative to increase the visibility of both brands, according to a PBH press release.
“The new, fruit-forward image of Strawberry Shortcake and her friends makes this set of characters a perfect fit for Fruits & Veggies-More Matters and its mission to increase fruit and vegetable consumption,” said Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., president and CEO of PBH.
“These re-designed friends will help encourage children to consume more fruit while at the same time connecting Moms with a happy memory from their own childhoods. We think these new characters will appeal to all age groups.”
PBH is developing Strawberry Shortcake and Friends Toolkit materials that will be available online to its licensed donors while American Greetings will launch a new line of cards featuring Strawberry Shortcake and friends with a new, 21st Century look.
Some of the promotional items donors will find in PBH’s toolkit include; ad slicks with text and graphics of Strawberry Shortcake and her friends and the Fruits & Veggies-More Matters logo, short consumer columns that feature copy that speaks to Moms along with Strawberry Shortcake or a friend, a recipe and recipe photo, and sign templates featuring Strawberry Shortcake or a friend that can be customized.
Strawberry Shortcake and friends themed activity sheets are also in the works. All new materials are expected to be live on the PBH website in mid-July.
PBH websites will use new Strawberry Shortcake imagery over the entire year and Strawberry Shortcake themed kid-friendly and healthy recipes will be featured in the “get kids involved” section of Fruit and Veggies More Matters website and on .
A Strawberry Shortcake activity book similar to PBH’s Take your Child to the Supermarket Kit will also be developed.
Reciprocally, the Fruits & Veggies-More Matters logo and a link to the website will appear on and , and a free e-card celebrating September as National Fruits & Veggies-More Matters Month will be developed by American Greetings and available on their website for anyone to send, free of charge, during the entire month of September.
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