Diet Coke@ and Minka Kelly Celebrate The Heart Truth@ With Lucky Fans

/FROM PR NEWSWIRE DALLAS 888-776-3971/

STK NYSE:KO

IN HEA ADV PUB BEV FAS FOD REA ENT

SU BFA WOM PDT

TO ENTERTAINMENT, FASHION, HEALTH, AND NATIONAL EDITORS:

Diet Coke@ and Minka Kelly Celebrate The Heart Truth@ With Lucky Fans

ATLANTA, Feb. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- "Showing a little heart" never

goes out of style. That's why actress Minka Kelly and iconic fashion

designer Diane von Furstenberg are teaming up with Diet Coke and the

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's (NHLBI) The Heart

Truth@campaign [1]. The goal: to raise awareness of women's heart health

educational programs. Five lucky Diet Coke fans will join these women

for the star-studded Red Dress Collection Fashion Show on February 8,

which kicks-off New York Fashion Week.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please

visit:

http://www.multivu.com/mnr/54306-diet-coke-red-dress-collection-fashion-... [2]

This year marks the fifth year Diet Coke will play an active role in

The Heart Truth@campaign [1]. Diet Coke is taking its efforts online, on

packaging and on the runway to call attention to women's heart health

educational programs. Minka Kelly will join Diet Coke and walk the Red

Dress runway in a custom Diane von Furstenberg dress.

Diet Coke fans walked their own virtual runway by using their social

networks to "show their hearts" for the cause and entering to win a

chance to attend the annual Red Dress Collection Fashion Show. Using

the hashtag "?ShowYourHeart," people shared photos of themselves

wearing red via Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram. The entries were

judged, and the five best photos were selected. Minka Kelly then

judged the five winning photos to choose one grand prize winner, who

received a shopping spree with a style expert. All five winners will

be attending this week's event.

"I loved the creativity the winners showed in their photos, and now I

can't wait to show off Ms. von Furstenberg's creation and raise

awareness at the Red Dress Collection Fashion Show," said Minka Kelly.

"Heart health is important for women of every age, and it's up to each

of us to help spread the word to the women we love."

In addition to the dress Minka Kelly will be wearing in the Fashion

Show, Diane von Furstenberg created a limited-edition collection of

Diet Coke aluminum bottles featuring her iconic prints. The bottles

will be sold in select Diane von Furstenberg stores in New York and on

DVF.com during the month of February. Proceeds from the bottle sales

will benefit the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health

(FNIH), in support of The Heart Truth@ and women's heart health

research and educational programs.

The Heart Truth @ supporters can also help raise funds for the cause

by "donating a tweet." For each person who re-tweets Diet Coke's The

Heart Truth@post [3] on February 8, Diet Coke will donate $1 to the FNIH,

up to $100,000.

Throughout the month of February, Diet Coke drinkers also will be

treated to special packaging featuring the now familiar stick figure

painting a large, red heart. Additionally, more than six billion

packages of Diet Coke will feature The Heart Truth@ logo throughout

the year.

"For five years, Diet Coke has been a passionate supporter of The

Heart Truth@ and its efforts to raise awareness about the importance

of heart health," said William White, Brand Director, Diet Coke North

America. "While we've shared this vital message with millions of

people through our partnership with the NHLBI, we'll reach even more

this year with creative online programs, in-store activations and

eye-catching packaging."

Through successful heart health educational programs and with the

support of scores of people dedicated to the cause, including Diet

Coke fans, awareness of heart disease among women has nearly doubled

in the last 12 years. More than half (54 of women recognize that

heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United

States, up from 30 percent in 1997.*

Promotions and Advertising

Diet Coke is activating national heart health programs with key retail

and restaurant customers across the nation, including SUBWAY@

Restaurants. Together with Diet Coke, SUBWAY@ will donate $50,000

toward heart health education and research programs. SUBWAY@ fans can

also help trigger an additional $50,000 for the cause. For every fan

who uploads their own photo using the hashtag "?SUBWAYHeartTruth" from

now until February 29, a $1 donation will be made to the FNIH, up to

$50,000. The SUBWAY@restaurant [4] chain, is ranked "number one" by

consumers in the Zagat@ Fast Food Survey in the "Healthy Options"

category and their FRESH FIT@ menu options include sandwiches and

salads containing 6 grams of fat or less and "better for you" sides

and drinks, such as yogurt, apple slices, low-fat milk, bottled water

and sparkling beverages.

The Heart Truth @ is also supported by advertising and digital

initiatives. Diet Coke's support of The Heart Truth@ is another

expression of Coca-Cola's Live Positively commitment to encourage

active, healthy lifestyles in the lives of people and communities.

The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage

company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still

brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world's most valuable brand, our

Company's portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands including Diet

Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute

Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1

provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices

and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution

system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a

rate of 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to

building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on

initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active,

healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our

associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities

where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among

the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system

employees. For more information, please visit

www.thecoca-colacompany.com [5] or follow us on Twitter at

twitter.com/CocaColaCo.

The Heart Truth@ Campaign

The Heart Truth @ is a national awareness campaign for women about

heart disease and is sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood

Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services. Through the campaign, the

NHLBI leads the nation in a landmark heart health awareness movement

that is being embraced by millions who share the common goal of better

heart health for all women.

The centerpiece of The Heart Truth@ is the Red Dress, which was

introduced as the national symbol for women and heart disease

awareness in 2002 by the NHLBI. The Red Dress@ reminds women of the

need to protect their heart health, and inspires them to take action.

To learn more, visit www.hearttruth.gov [6].

@ The Heart Truth, its logo, and The Red Dress are registered

trademarks of HHS.

National Wear Red Day is a registered trademark of HHS and the

American Heart Association. Participation by Diet Coke does not imply

endorsement by HHS/NIH/NHLBI.

* Source: Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, the

journal of the American Heart Association, February 2010.

SOURCE Diet Coke

-0- 02/06/2012

/CONTACT: Susan Stribling, +1-404-676-4120, sstribling@coca-cola.com [7]

/Web Site: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com [5]

(NYSE:KO) /

CO: Diet Coke; The Heart Truth Campaign; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's (NHLBI)

ST: New York

IN: HEA ADV PUB BEV FAS FOD REA ENT

SU: BFA WOM PDT

PRN

-- MM47439 --

0000 02/06/2012 14:00:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com [8]