Earth Day Marks Launch of Nickelodeon's New Pro-Social Environmental Campaign - The Big Green Help

Earth Day Marks Launch of Nickelodeon's New Pro-Social Environmental Campaign - The Big Green Help

Network Announces Six Campaign Partners to Help Raise Environmental Awareness and Promote Action, including The LeBron James Family Foundation; National Wildlife Federation; Natural Resources and Defense Council; NFL; Boys & Girls Clubs of America; and Girl Scouts of the USA

Multiplatform Campaign Bows On-Air with Promos, Programming and Online with Dedicated Website and Exclusive Green-Themed Online Games

NEW YORK, April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- On Earth Day, April 22, Nickelodeon will launch The Big Green Help, the network's new multiplatform pro-social campaign designed to empower kids to participate in earth friendly and energy saving daily activities. Nickelodeon will air green-themed messages and promotional spots throughout every single programming break, all day long, as well as introduce a series of original, environmentally themed online games. Additionally, six brand-new campaign partners are joining Nickelodeon to help promote and engage kids in The Big Green Help nationwide, including: The LeBron James Family Foundation; the National Wildlife Federation; the Natural Resources and Defense Council; NFL; Boys & Girls Clubs of America; and Girl Scouts of the USA.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080421/NYM102LOGO )

"Our research shows that kids believe that they can lead the way in addressing positive change for the environment, and The Big Green Help empowers them to work individually and collectively to do that," said Marva Smalls, Nickelodeon's Executive Vice President of Public Affairs. "We are pleased to have some of the most influential partners in the environmental, youth and sports fields join us in this effort. Together, we will bring the best of our combined resources to equip this generation of kids with the knowledge and tools they need to make their world a better place."

"Nickelodeon is a great network for children of all ages and I'm happy my Foundation is partnering with them." said LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers' All-Star forward.

All year long, The Big Green Help will provide information and tools across all of Nickelodeon's multiple platforms to help explain climate change to kids, and to connect them to ways they can help at home, in-school and in their communities. The centerpiece of The Big Green Help campaign will be the forthcoming, first-of-its-kind global multiplayer online green game for kids, which will provide actionable, measurable steps and information to directly link players to ways they can positively contribute to helping the environment in a variety of ways, on both individual and community levels. Leading up to the November launch of the global green game, several customized online mini-games will rollout incorporating The Big Green Help partner organizations. These partners will also help extend the campaign's reach through local grassroots activities and programs where kids can fulfill their online virtually volunteered hours throughout the year.

For the campaign's Earth Day launch, Nickelodeon will feature a host of new on-air promos showing real kids taking environmental action to educate the audience on how to curtail the waste of energy and natural resources; encourage recycling and the reduction of automobile usage; curb CO2 emissions; and TO ask them to plant trees, preserve natural resources and spread the campaign's messaging to others. One spot includes celebrities like Rihanna, Jodie Foster, Nelly, Ashlee Simpson and Nick stars like The Naked Brothers Band asking kids to join The Big Green Help, while another features Cameron Diaz and Dora the Explorer with real kids promoting keeping the oceans clean.

Nick Jr.'s Earth Day schedule will feature environmentally themed episodes from top preschool shows Blue's Clues; The Backyardigans; Go, Diego, Go!; Dora the Explorer; The Wonder Pets!; and Yo Gabba Gabba!. Episodes include Go, Diego, Go! "Save the Sea Turtles", where Diego and pals help a sea turtle named clean up the beach; The Wonder Pets!: "Save the Tree!", where The Wonder Pets travel to a dirty city lot and save a young tree; and Blue's Clues "Environments", where Steve and Blue meet Mother Nature and identify aspects of different environments. Nickelodeon plans to incorporate green themes in several of its series over the next year including iCarly and The Naked Brothers Band.

All promotional spots on Earth Day will encourage kids to check out the newly launched The Big Green Help website, http://www.biggreenhelp.com/, where they can learn more, get helpful tips and play original green-themed games online. The Big Green Help website features a video upload tool that kids can use to post photos and videos of their own Earth Day efforts; a Big Green Quiz; a glossary of environmentally focused terms, and more. Kids can also view the new TV spots for The Big Green Help on TurboNick, Nick.com's broadband video player.

Throughout the entire The Big Green Help campaign, kids will be able to play several mini-games online. The first mini-game, available now on http://www.biggreenhelp.com/, is "SpongeBob & Patrick: Dirty Bubble Busters," where kids can help SpongeBob and Patrick try to eliminate dirty bubbles polluting Bikini Bottom's ocean floor. In the coming months, Nick will roll out more online mini-games, widgets, green Nicktropolis environments, and a tracker to keep tabs on kids' progress during the campaign

Following the Earth Day launch activity, Nickelodeon will continue to feature multiple daily messages for The Big Green Help through short-form programming that will be refreshed on an on-going basis. The network has a history of addressing climate change over the years. Its Plan It for The Planet special in 1993 featured Al Gore and award-winning journalist Linda Ellerbee, who met with kids to discuss global warming and how they can affect positive change. In December 2007, Linda Ellerbee hosted Nick News: A Global Warning from the Kids of the World where she talked to kids about climate change and how it affects communities. Internationally, Nick UK, Nick South East Asia, Nick Latin America, Nick Korea, Nick Germany are also addressing environmental issues.

Nickelodeon is a global voice for kids and has a legacy of addressing important issues that affect their lives. The Big Help pro-social campaign, a CTAM Hall of Fame inductee, inspired a generation of more than 40 million kid volunteers pledging 383 volunteer hours. Its Let's Just Play campaign motivated more than one million kids to get out and play during Nick's annual Worldwide Day of Play and 500,000 kids to pledge to live healthier lifestyles through the Let's Just Play Go Healthy Challenge. Nick's health and wellness initiatives have recently launched in France and Italy, joining long time international efforts in the UK, Holland, Australia and South East Asia.

For more information, visit http://www.biggreenhelppress.com/, also launching on Earth Day.

Nickelodeon, now in its 29th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 96 million households and has been the number- one-rated basic cable network for more than 13 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B).

The Big Green Help Partner Quote Sheet
(in Alphabetical Order)

Boys & Girls Club of America

"Boys & Girls Clubs of America has maintained a long standing partnership with Nickelodeon. Our organizations share a commitment to encourage and inspire our nation's youth to engage in world-changing service activity. We enthusiastically support this year's Big Green Help campaign." - Romero Brown, Director, Teen Services, Boys and Girls Clubs of America

Girl Scouts of the USA

"Taking care of the planet has always been an essential component of Girl Scouting. By taking part in The Big Green Help girls across the country can take action to make the world a better place while having lots of fun." - Norma Barquet, Executive Vice President, Girl Scouts of the USA.

LeBron James Foundation

"We are thrilled to be partnering with the number-one entertainment brand for kids. I am looking forward to working with Nickelodeon on a wide range of initiatives, events, and activities that will empower kids and families, improve their overall health and wellness, and positively impact the environment in which they live." - Jakki Nance, Executive Director of the LeBron James Family Foundation.

National Wildlife Federation

"National Wildlife Federation is very excited to once again join with Nick in reaching out to and engaging families and children to help people and wildlife. We want kids to experience the wonder and beauty of the natural world. By working together to reduce climate change we can all leave a positive legacy for our children." - Jaime Berman Matyas, COO of National Wildlife Federation

NFL

"The health and wellness of our young fans is very important to us at the NFL. We are glad to work with Nickelodeon on its Big Green Help campaign, encouraging kids make decisions that are good for their health and the environment, like choosing to walk or ride bikes." - Peter O'Reilly, Director of Marketing for the NFL

Natural Resources and Defense Council

"Kids just get it. Not only do they fully understand the environmental issues we're facing today, but they are the first in line to help. We're excited to work with Nickelodeon to give kids the resources they need to become a part of the solution." - Phil Gutis, Communications Director for the Natural Resources Defense Council

Photo: NewsCom:

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080421/NYM102LOGO
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PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Nickelodeon

CONTACT: Joanna Roses, +1-212-846-7326, joanna.roses@nick.com, or Tori
Fernandes, +1-212-846-4942, tori.fernandes@mtvstaff.com, or Thamar Romero,
+1-212-846-7491, thamar.romero@nick.com

Web site:

http://www.nick.com/
http://www.biggreenhelp.com/

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