Betty Crocker to Define Ingredients for Today's Modern Homemaker

MINNEAPOLIS, June 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Betty Crocker knows that families today, and the roles family members take, do not look like they did when the iconic homemaker was introduced more than 90 years ago.

To that end, Betty Crocker is teaming up with New America to redefine homemaking today with a national survey and conversation about this societal evolution. This work is an extension of the brand's year-old Families Project, an initiative that celebrates the diversity of today's families.

New America, a non-partisan non-profit foundation known for its leadership in informing today's most pressing public policy issues, will help frame the themes and objectives of the survey that will be fielded to more than 1,000 Americans. The survey will set out to gain a first-person point of view on what it means to be a homemaker in America today -- and how those roles and descriptions have changed over time.

"Amidst the rapid demographic changes in the American family and workforce, the nature and very definition of homemaking also has transformed," said Liza Mundy, director of the New America's Breadwinning and Caregiving Program. "Our program looks forward to working with Betty Crocker to get at modern truths about homemaking -- who is doing what, and how we feel about what we are doing -- and inform our understanding of modern families, their strengths and needs."

The survey findings will be presented at a New America-hosted forum in Washington, D.C. later this year with political and media leaders, and other thought leaders, weighing in on the subject.

Furthermore, the findings and public conversation this work will generate will continue to inform how Betty Crocker engages today's homemaker in its national outreach.

"Betty has always been a pioneer and guide for homemakers. As today's family continues to evolve, so does Betty," said Perteet Spencer, marketing manager for Betty Crocker. "Our purpose is to help make a home. Better understanding of those cultural dynamics will help us provide the best products and services to meet current and future needs of families everywhere."

Betty Shows Her Pride
For the second year in a row, Betty Crocker will take an active role in Pride as it sponsors the Twin Cities festival and conducts some of its national research on homemaking on-site.

Throughout Pride, Betty Crocker will be asking Pride attendees, what home means to them and share their responses with the "#HomemakerPride" hashtag. Responses will populate a large mural at the Betty Crocker Pride booth and be featured in social media.

Betty Crocker participated in the state's historic Aug. 1, 2013 same-sex marriage law by providing cakes to the first couples that wed in Minnesota. This year, Betty Crocker will continue that gesture by donating wedding cakes to several couples marrying during Pride on Saturday, June 28 in Minneapolis's Loring Park. The brand also invited several Minnesota couples who have married since the law passed to walk the Pride Parade route with its float on Sunday, June 29.

Betty Crocker invites everyone to celebrate diversity and show their Pride by baking one of these rainbow-themed desserts .

"Pride is a way for us to really bring our brand purpose to life by celebrating all families," said Spencer. "Not only will we be able to continue the great work we did last year, we'll be able to gain deeper insights into today's modern homemaker as part of our national survey."

About Betty Crocker
Since her creation in 1921, Betty Crocker has enjoyed a distinguished history as a multimedia superstar. Featured in radio, TV, print and now online, this cultural icon has rightfully earned her reputation as the "Original First Lady of Food." Since first published in 1942, over 75 million Betty Crocker cookbooks have been sold. BettyCrocker.com is one of the top websites in the food category and Betty Crocker's Facebook community has nearly 3 million fans. Betty Crocker branded products garner over $1 billion in sales annually. For more information, visit bettycrocker.com.

About New America
New America is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute that invests in new thinkers and new ideas to address the next generation of challenges facing the United States. To learn more, please visit us online at www.newamerica.org or follow us on Twitter @NewAmerica.

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SOURCE Betty Crocker