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Kimberly-Clark's Depend In Prostate Effort

Depends/Prostate Cancer

Kimberly-Clark's Depend brand today launched the second year of "The Depend Campaign to End Prostate Cancer." The four-month campaign, which kicks off this June in celebration of Men's Health Month, culminates in September with National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

The effort extends the company's first such campaign under the Depend banner that broke last year with sports legends as campaign ambassadors. The ambassadors encourage people to get checked, but also talk about their own experience with the disease.

New additions to the lineup include: Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith and pro hockey Hall of Famer Mike Bossy, who will help introduce the program in Canada. Returning to this year's team are Pro Football Hall of Famers Rod Woodson and Len Dawson, World Boxing Hall of Fame referee Joe Cortez and baseball legend and ZERO board member Ken Griffey, Sr.

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Through 2010, proceeds from the purchase of each package of Depend Underwear for Men and Depend Guards for Men will contribute to a total donation of $250,000 to ZERO -- a prostate cancer research and treatment charity.

Kelly, who turned 50 this year, is featured in video and commentary about his most recent PSA test on www.dependpca.com. Depend debuted the prostate effort last September when Kimberly-Clark also started putting a blue ribbon -- signifying prostate cancer awareness -- on all Depend packaging.

The symbols will be on packages through 2010. The company also put a Prostate Cancer Awareness Month paint scheme on the No. 27 car driven by Jason Keller in the NASCAR Nationwide Series last year.

Separately, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is launching a new iteration of its "Strike Through" national advertising campaign, via Dallas independent The Richards Group. The effort, focused on prostate-cancer treatment at the medical center, uses the motif of a red line drawn through the word "cancer."

The Richards Group handled media planning, buying and creative development for the campaign.

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