• by Laurie Petersen , October 8, 2007

Unilever and Sunbeam are exclusive national sponsors of "Wish You Were Here," a joint AOL/Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) marketing program for "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in which fans across the country will try to persuade Ellen to visit their hometown.

As presenting sponsor, Unilever's All small & mighty concentrated laundry detergent is conducting a nationwide eco-education program and contest. Called "Search for the Greenest Grade School in America," the grand prize-winning school will get $50,000 toward building an eco-friendly playground, among other prizes.

As a supporting sponsor, the Sunbeam Rocket Grill will get prominent online branding through the site and integration as an audience prize at the TV show.

The 10-week program, available at ellen.aol.com, is a cross-platform collaboration between AOL, WBTVG and its Telepictures Productions unit. Visitors to the site can upload their stories, photos and videos with their pitches. DeGeneres will use the stories on her TV show and visit the winner in December.

"Ellen is one of the most popular personalities on television, and we are excited to partner with Telepictures to create this program that connects Ellen with her fan base across the country," says Kathy Kayse, EVP, AOL Brand Solutions.