ABT Abbott Laboratories

Ensure(R) Makes A Run For Healthy, Active Adults Abbott Laboratories' Ross Products Division to Sponsor ING New York City Marathon COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Building upon a 30-year- brand heritage of complete, balanced nutrition, Abbott Laboratories' Ross Products Division -- the maker of Ensure(R) nutritionals -- announced today its continuing efforts to reach out to healthy, active adults by launching an extensive marketing campaign in the New York metro region to support its sponsorship of the ING New York City Marathon. Through a partnership with two leading New York retailers, ShopRite and Duane Reade, Ross Products Division is aggressively promoting Ensure's new convenient, reclosable packaging through in-store, outdoor, broadcast, and print advertising, as well as some creative grassroots efforts for the Marathon. "Ensure is all about offering convenient, portable nutrition to consumers who embrace a healthy, active lifestyle," said Chris Scoggins, director of marketing, general nutritionals, Ross Products Division. "Now that Ensure is in a portable bottle, we've launched this extensive campaign to make people aware that they can drink to their health, wherever they go. The ING New York City Marathon created an ideal opportunity through which we could demonstrate this point." To extend the reach and impact of its ING New York Marathon sponsorship, Ensure is launching an advertising and promotional program throughout the greater New York metro region. Outreach elements include: -- Partnerships with New York-based retailers, Duane Reade and ShopRite for the Big Apple, Healthy Livin' Sweepstakes, which includes a free- standing insert distributed October 12 in the New York metro area announcing the sweepstakes, in-store point-of-purchase displays and counter cards throughout October; -- Radio advertising on WINS-AM, WCBS-FM, and WLTW-FM for the two weeks leading up to the Marathon; -- Subway cards and platform posters promoting Ensure's new, convenient reclosable bottle as well as the sweepstakes; -- Ad Van appearances throughout Manhattan the weekend of the marathon, complete with video screen projecting the new Ensure commercials; -- Extensive product sampling among the Marathon runners prior to the race at the New York City Marathon Health and Fitness Expo, as well as with race observers in several locations along the race route. Ensure's sponsorship package of the Marathon, scheduled for November 2, also includes extensive signage throughout the marathon route, coupon distribution and ad placement in the participant handbook. Additionally, Abbott Laboratories' Ross Products Division will be sending five employees to New York City to run in the marathon. "With more than 40,000 runners and 2.5 million spectators, the marathon is a prime opportunity to introduce the new packaging to those embracing healthy, active lifestyles," said Roger Bird, divisional vice president, trade sales and marketing, Ross Products Division. "We're pleased to conduct the Ensure promotion with two of our regional retail partners, Duane Reade and ShopRite, and look forward to future opportunities such as these to reach out to consumers and to further build our market awareness." Ensure, a leader in the adult nutritional category for 30 years, recently introduced a convenient, new reclosable bottle for its main product line, and is now launching similar packaging for its Ensure(R) High Protein line. The new reclosable bottle offers a more convenient way to enjoy the complete, balanced nutrition of Ensure for consumers with a healthy, active lifestyle. Ensure products can be found in retail sales outlets, including drug, food, mass merchandisers and club stores. The bottles are available in six- packs and in five delicious flavors: vanilla, chocolate, butter pecan, strawberry and coffee latte. The remaining varieties of the Ensure product line -- Ensure Plus(R), Ensure(R) High Calcium, Ensure(R) Fiber with FOS -- are expected to be available in the reclosable bottle soon. Abbott's Ross Products Division - A Longstanding Commitment to Nutrition As a long-time world leader in adult and infant nutrition, the Ross Products Division of Abbott Laboratories is committed to helping people of all ages meet their nutritional needs. Abbott pioneered the market for adult nutritionals more than three decades ago. Today, medical research continues to affirm the importance of proper nutrition in maintaining health. The adult nutritional family of products includes Ensure(R) -- a source of complete, balanced nutrition; Glucerna(R) -- a nutritional product line for people with diabetes; and ProSure(R) -- a specialized nutritional product for people with cancer. For more information about Ross Products, visit http://www.ross.com/ . Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals, nutritionals, and medical products, including devices and diagnostics. The company employs approximately 70,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries. In 2002, the company's sales were $17.7 billion. Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's Web site at http://www.abbott.com/ . DATASOURCE: Abbott Laboratories CONTACT: Media, Tracey Noe, +1-614-624-6807, or Carolyn Valek, +1-614-624-7404, both of Ross Products Division, Abbott Laboratories, or Financial Community, Christy Wistar of Abbott Laboratories, +1-847-938-4475 Web site: http://www.ross.com/ http://www.abbott.com/ Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/121546.html

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