Sixth Annual Wounded Warrior Project Believe in Heroes Campaign Launches with the Support of 45 Brands & 170 Retailers

Believe in Heroes^® is one of the largest national cause marketing campaigns across the United States

JACKSONVILLE, FL, Oct. 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ - Acosta, a leading full-service sales and marketing agency in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, announced the launch of the 2015 Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) Believe in Heroes^® Campaign, supported by over 45 of the nation's leading consumer brands and more than 170 retail banners. Believe in Heroes is one of the largest national cause marketing campaigns in grocery stores across the United States, bringing together brands, retailers and consumers annually in support of injured service members, families and caregivers.

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The 2015 Believe in Heroes campaign is the sixth annual iteration of the cause marketing program, running until November 20, 2015.  The campaign aims to tell the stories of injured veterans and bring to light their long-term needs.

Believe in Heroes will call on Americans to support the brands that support our heroes. Each of the participating brands and retailers' support of the campaign will be centered on raising funds for the campaign through a variety of promotional initiatives, including customized television commercials, national radio, in-store at-shelf signage, digital advertising, and public relations. In addition, brands will participate in a free-standing insert that will be distributed in newspapers on November 1, 2015, to more than 50 million households across the country.

Consumers will be further encouraged to participate in the campaign through social media posts, spreading the word on their blog, purchasing Believe in Heroes branded merchandise from retailers or the official gear store online and making a donation at wwpbelieve.org.

"From coast to coast, Americans are united in the respect and thankfulness they have for the brave individuals who have served to protect our country," stated Robert Hill, President and CEO, Acosta. "We're excited to embark on this sixth year of the Believe in Heroes campaign, and join in the mission to give back to our veterans when they need it most. We, along with our partners at Wounded Warrior Project, would like to thank all of the supporting consumers, brands and retailers helping to raise awareness for this cause."

New to the Believe in Heroes^® campaign this year are two media partnerships. The campaign is partnering with NBCUniversal, NBC Owned Television Stations and NBC Domestic Television Distribution, and will be supported with in-show integrations on The Meredith Vieira Show and Steve Harvey prior to, and on, Veterans Day. In-show integrations will feature injured veterans and their families, and highlight the participating brands of the campaign. Online promotion and a robust social media plan will elevate each in-show segment prior to show airdates. To generate further awareness for the campaign, the partnership will include two commercial spots featuring injured veterans that will air in key U.S. markets throughout its duration.

In addition, the campaign will partner with iHeartMedia in order to reach a larger, more varied audience across the country in 2015. The iHeartMedia partnership will include commercials and live reads featuring Bobby Bones, on-air public service announcements, and social media promotion designed to generate conversation about the Believe in Heroes campaign and encourage listeners to visit local retailers and support the brands that support our heroes.

Established in 2010, Believe in Heroes has grown substantially over the past six years. Beginning humbly with the support of more than a dozen well-known brands and one regional grocery retailer, the campaign has increased to include more than 45 brands and 170 retailers and has raised over $22 million since 2010. The funds raised have helped enable the expansion of critical Wounded Warrior Project^® programs that now directly serve more than 77,000 injured service members and over 13,000 caregivers and families. For more information, visit wwpbelieve.org.

About Acosta
Acosta is the sales and marketing powerhouse behind most of the trusted brands seen in stores every day. The company provides a range of outsourced sales, marketing and retail merchandising services throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more than 85 years, Acosta has led the industry in helping consumer packaged goods companies move products off shelves and into shoppers' baskets. Visit acosta.com.

About Wounded Warrior Project
The mission of Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. WWP's purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public's aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.

SOURCE Acosta