Diet Coke joined with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health to raise awareness about women’s risk of heart disease. Diet Coke will be part of the institute’s The Heart Truth campaign as well as the Red Dress Program. The soft drink brand is the sponsor of The Heart Truth’s Red Dress Collection fashion show during Fashion Week 2008. The fashion show features one-of-a-kind dresses made by top fashion designers and worn by celebrities. Additional programs and new Diet Coke packaging featuring The Heart Truth and Red Dress Program logos and messages will be introduced as part of the partnership.

Nestlé Waters North America introduced its Go Play! program designed for schools with kindergarten through 8th grade. Participating schools collect labels from Nestlé Pure Life bottles that are redeemed for Go Play! points. The points allow schools the opportunity to secure sports equipment and transportation cost-assistance toward education field trips. Accredited schools in the United States can register for the Go Play! program online.

Miller Brewing Co. targeted Texas convenience stores with its Gas Sweepstakes. Through the beginning of this month, consumers could obtain an entry card at participating convenience stores and retailers throughout Texas for the chance to win $100,000 in free gasoline and pre-paid gift cards worth $100. Consumers log the card’s code on the Web site MillerLiteTexasGasSweeps.com where they could play an interactive game. In the game, the player must find six full Miller Lite bottles in a virtual pile of empty bottles and fill a six-pack carton in a limited amount of time. At the end of the game, the player was notified if they had won any of the prizes.

Bawls Guarana, Miami, signed a multi-year deal with VSI Products to form the Intense BMX/Bawls Guarana Factory Pro Team. For the 2008-2009 season Danny Caluag, American Bicycle League’s No. 1 AA Pro and No. 1 Pro Cruiser racer, will hit the track in Bawls/Intense BMX gear. The league’s rookie of the year, Dave Herman, also is part of the team representing the brands at nationwide and international events. The companies will expand their partnership for an in-store display and giveaway of a Bawls-branded Intense Bike at retailers and events.

Last year’s NBA Rookie of the Year, Brandon Roy of the Portland Trailblazers, has signed on with CytoSport, which makes Muscle Milk, Cytomax and Mighty Milk. Roy joins the company’s sponsored athlete roster alongside Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings and Shaquille O’Neal of the Miami Heat. The basketball star will appear in print advertisements for CytoSport’s Muscle Milk and Cytomax products.

All-natural diet soda alternative Zevia partnered with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Northwest for its year-long fundraising event. Made by Seattle-based Zevia LLC, the beverage is a carbonated stevia supplement that is calorie-free and does not affect blood sugar levels. The drink is “in synch” with the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation’s mission, according to Sarah Popelka, special events director of JDRF Northwest.

Malibu rum introduced its newest marketing campaign with the theme “Get Your Island On.” The campaign from Purchase, N.Y.-based Pernod Ricard is inspired by Caribbean heritage and urges consumers to bring the light-hearted spirit and energy of the islands to their daily lives. Television ads debuted late last month on Comedy Central, USA and Spike cable channels, and additional radio and out-of-home ads will expand the campaign in the spring. Malibu will also promote its island nature in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands and additional European markets in 2008.

Juice-maker Tropicana announced a three-year partnership with Habitat for Humanity to help build homes along the Gulf Coast and other locations around the country. In addition to a pledged $1 million in funds, the division of PepsiCo will donate nearly 3,500 gallons of juice, fund the construction of eight homes and send approximately 1,000 volunteers to help build additional homes throughout Gulf communities. The program fits with PepsiCo’s corporate social responsibility commitment known as Performance with a Purpose. The overall business strategy focuses on achieving better business performances while advancing three aspects of sustainability: environmental, products and people.

This month’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City featured Evian Natural Spring Water as the official bottled water and sponsor. The company used Fashion Week as an opportunity to highlight the limited edition Evian bottle designed by French fashion designer Christian Lacroix. The bottle has been available at high-end restaurants, hotels and nightclubs and was featured in the tents located in New York City’s Bryant Park during the fashion shows.