CNN Press Release - Award goes live on CNN platforms May 25th as primary element of Philips’ new branding campaign

Royal Philips Electronics has chosen CNN International (EMEA) and its US sister network HLN (formerly Headline News) as its commercial media partners for its inaugural Livable Cities Award. This new global Award is designed to encourage the development of simple solutions to improve the health and well-being of people living in cities. The total prize fund, valued at €125,000, is available to individuals, community groups and businesses to help translate practical, achievable ideas that make cities better places in which to live. The campaign launches 25th May, and will be promoted in commercial time on CNN International and HLN through to early spring 2011, and will live online at www.cnn.com/livablecities.

Philips is harnessing the expertise of Turner Commercial Productions (CNN Ad Sales’ dedicated commercial production unit) in creating innovative, bespoke campaign elements. The ambitious new global award forms part of Philips’ strategic campaign to drive engagement around a topic that reflects its brand values. The Award’s focus aligns with Philips’ brand messaging, which centres on the importance of creating meaningful innovations to improve people’s health and well-being. In addition the Award provides a framework for repeat brand interactions with a target audience of corporate influencers.
“This cross-platform solution has audience engagement at its heart and is designed to maximise Philips’ commitment to helping people in urban communities achieve healthy, fulfilled lives. By creating the Livable Cities Award with CNN Ad Sales, Philips is able to create a branded environment to invite ongoing dialogue with a targeted audience,” says Max Raven, Senior VP Advertising Sales, CNN International.

The Livable Cities Award represents an ongoing forum for Philips to address global trends as highlighted by the WHO World Health Day project this year – ‘Urbanization and Health’, in a way that also complements their desire to promote their credentials as a leader in the health and well-being space.

The media agency is Carat International. The commercial partnership between CNN and Philips around the Award builds on Philips’ commercial association last month with CNN’s ‘Urban Planet’. The week long ‘Urban Planet’ programming focussed on the well-being of city dwellers, launching in line with World Health Day; and will enjoy a second burst of activity in November around the World Health Organisation’s Global Forum on Urbanization and Health in Kobe, Japan. Philips’ branding will appear May 22nd and 23rd on CNN around a repeat airing of the ‘Urban Planet’ special, the weekend before the launch of the Livable Cities Award.

About the Award promotion on CNN
The initiative will run at the intervals below over the next 12 months on CNN on in commercial time, targeting a corporate audience, and will be supported with a commercial online hub providing a bespoke destination for interested parties and inspired by the newly announced WHO campaign 1,000 Cities, 1,000 Lives:

• To coincide with 25th May launch, CNN International EMEA and HLN will air two 60” announcement films which will run over a four week period.
• From 27th September to 24th October, in the run up to the WHO Global Forum on Urbanization and Health in Japan in November, four 60” films will showcase the best of the entries to date reminding interested parties that they can enter via the dedicated online hub until October 28th.
• Over six weeks in early spring 2011, 30” films will feature each category shortlist and viewers/users will be encouraged to vote on-line and have their say in the final choice of who should win the first ever Livable Cities Award.
• A 60” film about the successful winner’s idea will run on air for two weeks.
• Philips will feature prominently as CNN’s commercial partner for World Health Day 2011 giving further opportunity to show the 60” winner’s film on air and online.
• The films will also be available to view on the Philips Livable Cities Award hub and this footage will be refreshed throughout the campaign encouraging repeat interaction with the site.

About the Livable Cities Award
• The awards are designed to reward the best ideas – from individuals or organisations - for encouraging cities and individuals to improve their health at a global and regional level.

The award categories are:

- Well-being Outdoors: initiatives that will help citizens feel safe in public spaces or help create city identity and foster a sense of belonging;
- Independent Living: initiatives that will help the growing number of elderly people living alone to feel secure and comfortable in a city, with with appropriate access to healthcare
- Healthy Lifestyle at Work and Home: initiatives that will support a healthy body and mind, whether through a person’s surroundings or via other essentials such as exercise, sleep and diet.

• An expert panel of judges is being enlisted to assess entries to The Livable Cities Award. They will be tasked with choosing the ideas that will best help improve the lives and health of urban dwellers across the globe.
• American urban studies theorist, Professor Richard Florida, Author of The Great Reset and Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute and Professor of Business and Creativity at Rotman School of Management at the University ofToronto, will be using his extensive knowledge and expertise to chair the panel of judges.
• A short list of entrants, selected by the panel of judges, will be announced in February 2011. CNN’s audience will then vote on their choice of winner in each category and the successful entrant will receive a cash prize.
• The judges will then decide who, from the category winners, deserves the overall prize and the chance to realise their urban improvement projects or ideas.
• An overall award of €75,000 will be granted for the best idea submitted in any of the three categories, along with two additional awards of €25,000 for the best submissions in the two categories not covered by the overall award.

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