Brands, Retailers Sign on to Support Fifth Annual Wounded Warrior Project Believe in Heroes Campaign

Acosta Sales & Marketing announced that more than 30 national leading consumer brands and 100 grocery retail banners have pledged to support this generation of veterans by participating in the 2014 Wounded Warrior Project Believe in Heroes campaign. Believe in Heroes benefits Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), a non-profit organization whose mission is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. Participating brands for the 2014 campaign include: BIC Flex 4 razors, Brawny Paper Towels, Burt’s Bees Towelettes, Campbell’s Condensed Soups, Carnation Breakfast Essentials, Clorox Bleach, Domino and C&H Sugar, Duracell, Earth Balance, GERBER and GERBER Organic, GERBER GOOD START Formula, GERBER GRADUATES, Horizon Organic, Hormel Pepperoni, Hormel SPAM, Hostess Snacks and Donettes, Jell-O, Jimmy Dean, MAXWELL HOUSE Coffee, Minute Maid Pure Squeezed, Purina Beggin’, Purina Beneful, Purina Dog Chow, Purina Friskies, Sabra, Silk, Smart Balance, Starkist Tuna Pouches, SunnyD, Sweet Baby Ray’s and Welch’s Sparkling Juice Cocktail. Beginning September 7, 2014, in advance of Patriot Day and running through Veterans Day, November 11, 2014, Believe in Heroes inspires and rewards Americans to show their appreciation for injured service members through the simple, everyday act of grocery shopping. The program calls on consumers to “Shop, Share and Save,” encouraging them to not only shop and receive discounts in support of our nation’s injured veterans, but to also connect with warriors by learning about their personal stories of triumph and courage while inviting others to join the cause. Additionally, by raising awareness of WWP, Believe in Heroes encourages injured veterans to take advantage of the organization’s programs and services to ease the struggle of transition back into civilian life. As part of their participation, each brand will offer consumers a high-value digital coupon that will be promoted in two special issues of the SmartSource Magazine coupon insert which will be delivered to 53 million households nationwide in Sunday, September 7, 2014 and Sunday, November 2, 2014 newspapers. The coupons will be available for download online in both English and Spanish through the end of November at wwpbelieve.org. Participating grocery retailers throughout the country will support the effort by promoting Believe in Heroes through their circulars and/or in-store programs with special signage, point-of-purchase materials, and contribution tear pads at the checkout lane. “The grocery industry’s support of injured service members through Believe in Heroes is nothing short of remarkable,” said Robert Hill, CEO of Acosta. “Our veterans have selflessly sacrificed to protect and serve our country, and this movement firmly demonstrates our collective commitment to giving back to our nation’s heroes when they need our help the most. In recognition of Independence Day and as we embark on the fifth annual Believe in Heroes campaign, we, along with our partners at WWP, thank all of the participating brands, retailers and shoppers as this program would not be possible without their generosity and cooperation.” Since its inception in 2010 by Acosta, Believe in Heroes has grown to become the largest co-op marketing program in the U.S. Bringing together thousands of CPG brands, retailers and consumers, the campaign has raised a total of $16 million for WWP to date and has helped enable the expansion of its life-saving veteran programs that now directly serve more than 50,000 injured service members. The goal of the 2014 campaign is to exceed the amount raised in 2013 as WWP recognizes its ten-year anniversary.