Supermodel Niki Taylor Hosts the Reader's Digest 'We Hear You America' 100 Cities/100 Days RV Tour Launching January 18

NEW YORK, Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Reader's Digest, the world's most-read magazine, returns to its roots as original content curator offering time-saving, simple insights that capture the very best of America, and is now available across all platforms, including a new iPad app, and a daily updated website at rd.com -- now known as the Reader's Digest Version. To help celebrate this transformation, Reader's Digest is hitting the road to 100 communities with its "We Hear You America" campaign, hosted by supermodel and 2011 Celebrity Apprentice star Niki Taylor, offering support across the U.S. during these difficult economic times.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110118/NY30952 )

The recession may still be raging but citizens all across America are banding together to make the best of it, with the aid of one of America's best-loved and most-trusted brands, Reader's Digest. Beginning today in New York City, Reader's Digest will kick off a 100-city RV tour, "We Hear You America," a journey of renewal designed to showcase the "Best in America" and provide promotional and financial stimulus to help cities counter the quality of life cuts triggered by the economic downturn.

"I've been a fan of Reader's Digest since my childhood days back in Florida and still love it today," said Taylor. "I grew up with its stories about America and now, as host of the 'We Hear You America' tour, I can be a part of the effort to help cities across the U.S. that have been hurt by the recession and capture stories about what makes those hometowns great."

Reader's Digest's "We Hear You America" campaign began last November as a way to provide support to Americans and their hometowns that have been hurt by the recession. The stimulus is being provided to support a host of projects selected by the towns themselves, including parks and recreation, tourism, civic works and economic development.  Individuals interested in receiving stimulus for their communities simply "cheer" (vote) for their hometown by logging on to www.rd.com, through February 7. The 10 towns that "cheer" the loudest (receive the most votes) will win the bulk of the stimulus. An additional 90 towns were chosen based on their inclusion in one of three places: 1) impassioned stories collected on our "We Hear You America" website via rd.com; 2) a past or upcoming "Best of America" issue; and 3) the Reader's Digest book Off the Beaten Path.

Stops on the 100-city tour will include Charlotte, Atlanta, Tampa, Detroit, Cleveland, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Houston, Las Vegas, and San Francisco. Features/activities during the RD/RV Tour include:

• A video kiosk to collect testimonials from people about what makes their town Best in America. These stories will be uploaded to the "We Hear You America" website.
• Three brand ambassadors representing Reader's Digest will meet w/mayors in each town to distribute stimulus funds (a combination of a check in the amount of $1000 to $40,000, and media attention)
• A magnetic map of the U.S. on the side of the RV that will be fun for consumers and the media to play games with
• An interactive campaign website integrating social media for people to follow the tour and see what makes America great; visitors can also enter a sweepstakes to win the Reader's Digest RV.
• Additionally, individuals can stop by the tour in their town, enter the RV sweepstakes, experience the interactive vehicle and win t-shirts.

Since the online debut of the campaign, more than 2 million votes have been cast to date, more than 7,000 stories have been posted, for more than 5,000 towns small and large across the nation.  The campaign also enlisted the support of mayors coast-to-coast who participated in the "We Hear You America Survey," conducted with renowned pollsters Harris Interactive.  The hard news survey chronicled the continuing impact of the on-going recession on services in cities across the nation as well as these civic leaders' predictions for what 2011 will hold.

The Reader's Digest "We Hear You America" 100-city tour kicks off as the brand unveils a digital platform transformation with the February issue available now. This includes the launch today of a new Reader's Digest iPad app and an updated website at www.rd.com, now known as The Reader's Digest Version. Additionally, Reader's Digest returns to its roots as America's most-trusted content curator, featuring the best news, tips and ideas from 350 sources including The New York Times, The Harvard Business Review and WebMD in an every-platform, easily-digestible form.

About Niki Taylor

Since her debut at age 14 on the August 1989 cover of Seventeen, Niki Taylor has been one of the world's most successful models, renowned for her girl-next-door charm and undeniable beauty. In her career, Taylor has graced the covers of over 300 magazines worldwide including Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Mademoiselle and Cosmopolitan and an unprecedented six covers in May 1996, known as the "Niki Six." Taylor was the first model to be featured simultaneously on six billboards in Times Square and the first under 18 to sign an exclusive spokesperson deal with Cover Girl cosmetics. Taylor also owns a Guinness World record for being the youngest model to sign a six-figure deal and appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue from 1997 - 1998.  In the world of television, Taylor has served as host for a series of top-rated shows, including the nationally syndicated Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, MTV's Fashionably Loud and Bravo's Make Me A Supermodel.  In March 2011, Niki will bring her beauty and can-do spirit to the new season of NBC's Celebrity Apprentice.  

About RDA

RDA is a global media and direct marketing company that educates, entertains and connects more than 130 million consumers around the world with products and services from trusted brands. With offices in 43 countries, the company reaches customers in 78 countries, publishes 91 magazines, including 50 editions of Reader's Digest, the world's largest-circulation magazine, operates 78 branded websites and sells 40 million books, music and video products across the world each year. Further information about the company can be found at www.rda.com.

SOURCE Reader's Digest