Michelle Obama to Be First-Ever iVilliage 'Guest Editor', 8/20
By: Caryn Robbins Aug. 13, 2012
iVillage, one of the largest online communities for women, announced today that First Lady Michelle Obama will be its first-ever Guest Editor for the week of August 20, as part of a new Guest Editor series launching across its site. This marks the first time Mrs. Obama will participate as a guest editor with any media outlet. The First Lady's editorial theme – "Rev Up Your Back-to-School Routine" – offers millions of women in the iVillage community fun, simple tips and advice to help ease the transition from beach bags to backpacks. In conjunction with her Guest Editor role, the First Lady will participate in an exclusive video interview on the same theme with iVillage's Chief Correspondent, Kelly Wallace, to run as a multi-part video series on iVillage throughout the week of August 20.
"Women get so much strength and inspiration from each other and I was thrilled to have the chance to work with iVillage and its energized, engaged audience of millions of women," said First Lady Michelle Obama. "As children across the country get ready to go back to school, this is an exciting -- and sometimes overwhelming -- time for American families. As Guest Editor, I hope to start a community dialogue on this topic so we can all share tips and advice to get our kids off to a great start in this new school year and help our families be healthier."
The First Lady will work closely with iVillage editors and contribute "Rev Up The Back-To-School Routine" content across iVillage's Food, Parenting, and Health channels. For the past few months, the First Lady has been collaborating with the iVillage team to create and curate compelling articles and visuals around the back-to-school theme, some of which draw from her "Let's Move" initiative, which strives to raise a healthier generation of kids. This subject will not only resonate with the 98%* of iVillage's audience who say they are involved in their children's education, but will also address some of the issues that have populated iVillage's social forums, including what to pack for lunch, how to find balance throughout the busy school year, and how to maintain healthy dinners as a family during a hectic school schedule.
Each day throughout the week, a new subject – such as getting your family energized and moving, embracing a new healthy habit, and recharging your most important relationships – will be showcased. The First Lady's articles will also include exclusive personal anecdotes and never-before-seen family photos that will provide a close look at her own back-to-school transition.
"We are honored that Mrs. Obama chose to be our first Guest Editor as we launch our exciting, new program. This role provides a fresh avenue to talk with American women who, like her, are juggling a multitude of responsibilities," said Jodi Kahn, President of iVillage. "Our research shows that a mere 11% of women have life 'figured out,' and we plan to continue featuring notable Guest Editors who will offer the iVillage community useable, easy solutions."
The First Lady's Guest Editor participation will also be supported by extensive social media efforts in the iVillage community, including a custom Twitter initiative called #swaponething, where users share their tips about a healthy choice they make in lieu of a less desirable one, and inclusion in iVillage's newsletter, distributed to five million subscribers.
Mrs. Obama's "Let's Move" will also serve as the basis for an iVillage Community Challenge, one of the site's signature franchises which rally hundreds of thousands of women around a common, but personal, goal. The six-week long "Get Moving Now" Community Challenge will focus on achieving a healthy lifestyle. Coaches, including the First Family's personal trainer, Cornell McClellan, will guide participants through enough activity to earn their Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA.) Sign up is open and the challenge runs from September 17-October 26.
Future iVillage Guest Editors -- including prominent figures representing a broad cross section of experience, opinion and background -- will be announced in the coming weeks.
*iVillage online poll, 2011
About iVillage:
iVillage is one of the largest content-driven communities for women online. Every day, women come to iVillage to connect, share advice, find life tools and engage in conversations that matter most to them in the areas of Pregnancy & Parenting, Health, Food, Entertainment and Beauty & Style. Additional businesses and brand extensions within iVillage include iVillage UK, Petside.com, Dinnertool.com, LifeGoesStrong.com, Astrology.com and GardenWeb.com. Based in New York City, iVillage Inc. is part of the NBCUniversal Entertainment & Digital Networks and Integrated Media Group. Join iVillage's Facebook group at www.facebook.com/ivillage and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ivillage.
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