RANCHO DOMINGUEZ, Calif. April 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- UNCLE BEN'S®, the number-one selling brand of rice in the country, announced the launch of a new integrated marketing campaign today, which kicks off nationally in April. The global campaign, which debuted in Europe and Canada earlier this year, encourages consumers to "Begin with Ben™" which will lead to a world of better meals by attracting healthier ingredients, encouraging diverse cuisines and bringing families together to enjoy a meal.

With increased focus on the national obesity problem, as well as the resurgence of home-cooked meals and family mealtime, UNCLE BEN'S® believes rice is a powerful tool in the desire to marry taste and convenience with healthy choices and family satisfaction. The new "Begin with Ben™" campaign visually illustrates the journey of a single grain of rice to a family's dinner table and encourages consumers to consider rice as a great beginning to any meal – versus simply a side dish – with variety, flavor and natural health benefits all built in.

"Our new global creative campaign starts with a very simple insight that regardless of culture or cuisine, meals that begin with rice tend to be healthier meals, thus providing a very simple solution for consumers," said Tim Snyder, vice president of marketing, Mars Food US. "When consumers 'Begin with Ben' they and their families are embarking on a culinary journey that can tempt their taste buds while providing a nutritious foundation for healthy rice-based meals."  

Advertising, created by BBDO, will begin its run in the April and May issues of a variety of national magazines. The campaign also includes television advertisements, which will run on popular networks starting the week of April 4. A refreshed Website (unclebens.com), the launch of an official UNCLE BEN'S® Brand Facebook page, integrated consumer promotions and public relations efforts also are part of the campaign.

An innovation leader, over the past five years UNCLE BEN'S® has introduced two new categories in the rice aisle – UNCLE BEN'S® READY RICE® and Whole Grain White Rice – plus increased its whole grain rice products three-fold. Each unique advertisement will feature a specific UNCLE BEN'S® Brand product, an image of a mouth-watering, healthy, rice-based meal, and words from UNCLE BEN'S® about the importance of rice and other simple solutions, such as:

• "How can something so tiny cause a huge change in the way we eat?"
• "To create your most colorful works of art, begin with a tiny white canvas."

Based on consumer research conducted by BBDO, 53 percent of people "would make a healthier meal" if they had time and 79 percent claim to feel "too bombarded" with information. UNCLE BEN'S® solution to its consumer is to provide a simple path to healthy eating: meals that begin with rice are healthier and lead to a better way of living.

For more information about UNCLE BEN'S® Brand products, recipes and nutrition information, visit www.UncleBens.com and "like" the brand at Facebook.com/UncleBens.  

About UNCLE BEN'S®

UNCLE BEN'S®, the number one rice brand in America, is proud to offer a wide range of rice dishes with flavors and textures that will help bring more to your meals, both for convenient side dishes and savory main courses. UNCLE BEN'S® offers a wide variety of white, whole grain brown, and flavored rices in cook times ranging from 30 minutes to 90 seconds, as well as rice for food service operations such as restaurants, schools and hospitals. The first mass-produced parboiled rice, UNCLE BEN'S® is the top-selling branded rice in the United States and products can be found in more than 100 countries worldwide. UNCLE BEN'S® Brand products are manufactured by Mars Food NA, part of Mars, Incorporated. For more information, visit www.UncleBens.com.

About Mars, Incorporated

In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars' first roots as a confectionery company.  In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar.  In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of  building a business based on the philosophy of a "mutuality of benefits" for all stakeholders – this vision serves as the foundation of the Mars, Incorporated we are today.  Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $30 billion and six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks and Symbioscience.  More than 65,000 Associates worldwide are putting our Mars Principles in action every day to make a difference for people and the planet through our performance.

Mars brands include: Chocolate – M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Petcare – PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, SHEBA®, CESAR® and ROYAL CANIN®; Wrigley – ORBIT®, EXTRA®, STARBURST®, DOUBLEMINT® and SKITTLES®; Food – UNCLE BEN'S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS® and SEEDS OF CHANGE®; Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA CO.™, KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience –SERAMIS®, CIRKU™ and COCOAVIA™.

For more information, please visit www.mars.com.

SOURCE UNCLE BEN’S