Stride, the Ridiculously Long Lasting Gum, Launches New "Be Ridiculously Long Lasting" Campaign

EAST HANOVER, N.J., June 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Stride, The Ridiculously Long Lasting Gum, kicked off its new "Be Ridiculously Long Lasting" campaign today in New York City, with the help of the Stride gum ram and actor Wilmer Valderrama. Starting in Times Square and ending in Herald Square, Stride gum set its own ridiculous long lasting record – the first ever Running of the Rams event – a play on the World famous Running of the Bulls, with Wilmer as the official Matador.  

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110621/LA24077)

"Stride is a great-tasting gum that lasts a ridiculously long time," said Wilmer. "They're a great, fun brand that's all about engaging with their fans and I'm happy to help support them today with their campaign kick-off."

Today's Running of the Rams event, which featured 50 runners in ram costumes and a celebrity Matador, supported and kicked-off the national launch of Stride gum's "Be Ridiculously Long Lasting" campaign – created by JWT New York. Starting at about 12 p.m. at 42nd street in Times Square, running down Broadway and commencing in the pedestrian plaza of Herald Square, Stride encouraged fans to be ridiculously long lasting and join a record-breaking run – the first ever Running of the Rams event. Fans came out to watch, cheered on the rams and visited the finish-line celebration in Herald Square, which included product sampling, activities, games and prizes.

As part of the "Be Ridiculously Long Lasting" campaign, beginning today (the longest lasting day of the year!) and lasting through Oct. 12, Stride gum is setting out to create the record for the Longest Lasting Streak of Long Lasting Records, by posting one ridiculously long lasting record-breaking video daily on its Facebook page, YouTube channel and URDB-branded page for 100 days. If fans think they're "Ridiculously Long Lasting" too, Stride wants them to prove it by trying to break any of the posted records.  Records will be tied to achieving a long lasting feat, and all records will be judged on a long lasting (time, measurement or consecutive) basis.

At the end of 100 days, the final 100 record holders will win a cash prize of $500 for their long lasting achievement. The program will also extend one or two weeks past the last record release, to give fans a chance to break that last record. For more information on the "Be Ridiculously Long Lasting" program, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/stride-gum.

"At Stride gum, we pride ourselves on being ridiculously long lasting in everything we do. Now we want to challenge our fans to be as ridiculously long lasting as we are," said Maurice Herrera, senior director – U.S. Gum, Kraft Foods.  "With the 'Be Ridiculously Long Lasting' campaign we'll set the records and fans can try to break them. It's a great way for consumers to engage in our long lasting platform every single day."

About Stride Gum

Stride, The Ridiculously Long Lasting Gum was launched in 2006 to give gum chewers a fun, unique and long lasting chewing experience.  Stride, a Kraft Foods brand, comes in 15 flavors – Winterblue, Spearmint, Sweet Peppermint, Forever Fruit, Sweet Berry, Sweet Cinnamon, Always Mandarin, Nonstop Mint, Uber Bubble, Eternal Melon, Mega Mystery, Stride Shift and Stride Spark.  To find out more about Stride, our friends and what the brand is up to, visit www.stridegum.com.

About Kraft Foods Inc.

Northfield, Ill.-based Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT) is a global snacks powerhouse with an unrivaled portfolio of brands people love.  Proudly marketing delicious biscuits, confectionery, beverages, cheese, grocery products and convenient meals in approximately 170 countries, Kraft Foods had 2010 revenue of $49.2 billion, more than half of which was earned outside North America.  Eleven of the company's iconic brands -- including Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oreo, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia and Trident gum -- generate revenue of more than $1 billion annually, and 40 have been loved for more than a century.  A leader in innovation, marketing, health & wellbeing and sustainability, Kraft Foods is a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor's 500, Dow Jones Sustainability Index and Ethibel Sustainability Index.  For more information, visit www.kraftfoodscompany.com and www.facebook.com/kraftfoodscorporate.

SOURCE Kraft Foods Inc.