Birds Eye Picks Disney To Push Healthy Kids’ Diets

Birds Eye says it will be working with The Walt Disney Co. on a campaign to get kids to eat more vegetables.

The Birds Eye “Step Up To The Plate” program aligns with Disney's Magic of Healthy Living initiative and integrates Birds Eye into program sponsorships and Disney's “Magic of Healthy Living TRYathlon Road Tour" scheduled for August and September, the companies said.

Spending behind the program was not disclosed.

“Moms know veggies are healthy and that her family needs to eat more of them,” said Mark Schiller, executive VP and division president, Birds Eye Frozen Division, said in a statement. “Our job is to help make it easy for her to do just that. Having Disney Step Up To The Plate with us furthers our ability to inspire children to like veggies for life."

Birds Eye had previously worked with Nickelodeon on a campaign pegged to its show iCarly and last year tied its Play with Your Veggies promotion to Nick’s Worldwide Day of Play.

"Disney has a time-honored commitment to entertaining kids and families and that commitment extends to supporting parents in raising healthy, happy kids,” said Rita Ferro, executive VP, media sales and marketing, Disney. “This new initiative with Birds Eye proves that doing the right thing for kids is also a smart strategy for our business."

Stars from Disney Channel and Disney XD will participate in a crossplatform sweepstakes. Disney characters will also appear on Birds Eye packaging.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.