Newest Jolly Spaghetti endorsers Regine and Nate Alcasid share their most sweet-sarap moments

“They captured our real lives!” Asia’s Songbird gushes about new Jollibee ad

(From L-R) Jollibee Brand Engagement Manager Cat Triviño, Brand Manager Kat Silvoza, Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid and her son Nate Alcasid, Marketing Director for Flagship products Cathleen Capati, Brand Engagement Officer Celina Tan. 

With an illustrious entertainment career spanning three decades, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid has done almost everything, including chart-topping singles and albums, blockbuster movies, high-rated TV shows, and sold-out concerts. But for the Asia’s Songbird—one of the very few who’s successfully juggled being a singer, actress, record producer, and TV host—there’s one role she loves best: being a mom to her six-year-old son Nate.

Regine and Nate—who love to spend time just talking to one another about anything and everything under the sun—are the newest members of the Jollibee family and the stars of the latest heartwarming Jolly Spaghetti TV ad.

Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid and her son Nate Alcasid sing the song “I Can” together as they are welcomed on stage.

In the commercial, Regine revisits a familiar scene—a full concert auditorium with thousands of adoring fans—with a sweet-sarap surprise backstage for Nate. The ad goes on to show us special everyday moments between mother and son, with Regine narrating how being a mom has shed new light on day-to-day situations.

Nate Alcasid takes a photo with his favorite Jollibee.

This is not the first time Regine and Nate worked on an endorsement together, but she believes that this one with Jollibee is the most special. “The storyboard is so touching and very personal. It shows my different roles as Regine, but it also shows that my greatest one is being a mom, which is the most difficult yet most fulfilling role I have to play,” Regine shared.

Just like real life

Upon first review of the storyboard, Regine said: “Umiyak talaga ako. I said, “pinag-isipan talaga nila.” I’ve never done anything like this, a commercial that celebrates my being a career woman and a mom.”

Asia’s Songbird also shared that this Jollibee ad is inspired by her real life and her thoughts about being a mom. “In the ad, there’s a line where I say “sa lahat ng kinantahan ko, ikaw lang ‘ang nakatulog.” That’s true talaga! He really sleeps whenever I sing to him. It’s like they captured our real lives!” she said.

Regine Velasquez-Alcasid talks about how honored and excited she and Nate is to be part of the Jollibee family.

Another scene in the commercial that made Regine emotional is when she sings the lines “Pangako magmula ngayon, tayong dalawa ang magkasama,” which is lifted from one of her platinum hits “Pangako.” This song holds special meaning to the songstress as it was composed by her husband Ogie Alcasid.

Sweet-Sarap bonding moments

Since she gave birth to Nate in 2011, Regine has slowed down her professional life to spend more time with her son. The first seven years are the most crucial to a child’s development, as studies show, and the Songbird is determined to make the most of it.

One of their favorite bonding activities is to talk to each other before bed. “He always has a lot of kwento for me at night,” Regine said. “He would always say, “Mommy, last kwento,” but this last story would go on for 20 minutes! But honestly, that’s the highlight of my day. He really loves talking.”

“We also play with toys but they’re not really toys,” Nate shared. “It’s called amenities!”

“He loves hotel supplies like toothbrushes,” Regine explains. “So one time when I was traveling, I brought everything back home to him. He was so happy, akala mo binigyan ko ng special gift. To him, it was really special because he knows I remembered him. I then realized, you can buy your child all the toys you can think of, but what they really want is more time with you.”

Regine’s realization is not lost on Nate, who—despite his parents’ celebrity status—prefers simple bonding activities like going on picnics and playing with Regine and Ogie. To make these bonding moments even sweeter and more fun, there’s always the sweet-sarap Jolly Spaghetti to bring more flavor to the Alcasid family’s special time together.

Jollibee Brand Manager Kat Silvoza talks about the sweet-sarap Jolly Spaghetti and how it has delivered countless sweet-saya moments na walang katulad to thousands of Filipino families throughout the decades.

“When it’s time for merienda, he would say “I want one Jolly Spaghetti, two Chickenjoy legs, and two fries.” When I’m not at home, he would ask to order Jollibee and pay for it with his own money! Hindi niya ako hihintayin!” Regine candidly shared.

“The Jolly Spaghetti is so yummy!” the six-year-old exclaimed. “It’s sweet and cheesy and I can eat a lot of it!”

It’s no wonder why Nate—and other Pinoy kids—love Jolly Spaghetti. The al dente noodles are topped with Jollibee’s unique sweet-sarap sauce, meaty hotdog slices, and a generous sprinkling of grated cheese.

“The Jolly Spaghetti’s unique sweet-sarap, flavors have always had a distinctive place in the hearts of Filipino kids and kids-at-heart, because moments spent with loved ones over a plate of Jolly Spaghetti are made sweeter, more fun, and more special,” said Cathleen Capati, Jollibee Marketing Director. “Regine and Nate’s story is not only heartwarming but also relatable to millions of Filipinos.”

Like Regine and Nate, make your family bonding moments more special with the sweet-sarap na walang katulad Jolly Spaghetti. The Jolly Spaghetti Solo retails for only P50.00* and the Jolly Spaghetti Family Pan (good for four to five persons) for P199.00*. Both are available in all Jollibee stores nationwide for dine-in, take-out, delivery, and drive-thru.

For more information on your Jollibee favorites and promos, like the Jollibee Philippines Facebook page and follow @Jollibee on Twitter and Instagram.

* Prices may vary across different locations.

Shopee Announces Anne Curtis as First Brand Ambassador, Kicks off 5.5 Shopee Super Sale

Get Set for The Biggest Mid-Year Online Sale in the Philippines


MANILA, PHILIPPINES -  Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, announces Anne Curtis as its first brand ambassador in line with the launch of 5.5 Shopee Super Sale. The campaign is set to be the biggest mid-year online sale in the Philippines and runs from 13 April to 5 May. It features discounts of up to 90% off on thousands of products, with deals as low as 55 peso and daily flash sales. The Filipina-Australian superstar will also be making her debut as Shopee’s brand ambassador in Shopee’s first ever television commercial in the Philippines.



Terence Pang, Chief Operating Officer of Shopee, said, “We are thrilled to announce Anne as Shopee Philippines’ first official brand ambassador and to have her join us in kick-starting the biggest mid-year online sale in the Philippines. Her friendly, fun and sociable personality best represents Shopee’s brand positioning as the leading online shopping platform, especially among millennials. In addition to being the face of Shopee, and the upcoming 5.5 Shopee Super Sale, Anne will also be starring in our first ever television commercial,”



“I am always on the move because of my busy schedule. Shopee makes it so convenient for me to do all my online shopping on my phone. Shopee has grown tremendously over the past few years, and I am excited to be part of the Shopee family. As brand ambassador for Shopee Philippines, I look forward to more exciting campaigns and events to come,” said Anne Curtis.





In line with the engagement of Anne Curtis as Shopee Philippines’ first brand ambassador is the launch of 5.5 Shopee Super Sale. Users can look forward to non-stop exciting deals lined up from 13 April onwards, leading up to the mega 24-hour shopping fiesta on 5 May. The campaign will feature massive promotions including 55 peso deals, daily in-app vouchers and surprises, as well as discounts up to 90% off across a wide range of categories. Fans of Anne Curtis can also look forward to the “Anne’s Top Picks” collection and giveaways featuring Shopee merchandise autographed by the celebrity.

Users can also shop exclusive deals from leading brands under the recently launched Shopee Mall; such as Samsung, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Nescafe Dolce Gusto, NIDO® ADVANCED PROTECTUS® 3+, NANKID® OPTIPRO® FOUR, Colgate-Palmolive, AVEENO® Active Naturals®, Belo Essentials, Equal Sweetener, Silverworks, Banana Peel, i2i New York, Unisilver, Faber-Castell, Deuter, Head Racket, Coleman and more. 

Additionally, Anne will be launching her own cosmetics line on Shopee. From 11 April, makeup lovers will be able to purchase BLK cosmetics via the BLK Cosmetics Official Shop on Shopee Mall, which features a 100% Authenticity Guarantee, 7 Days Return, Cash on Delivery and Free Shipping nationwide. To celebrate the launch of the BLK Cosmetics Official Shop, Anne will be giving away a limited edition autographed mirror to the first 100 customers, with a minimum spend of 1,000 pesos. 

Check out the 5.5 Shopee Super Sale at https://shopee.ph/m/55shopeesupersale
Shop BLK cosmetics at shopee.ph/blkcosmetics

For more information, visit www.shopee.ph
Download the Shopee app for free on Apple App Store or Google Play Store. 

Malaysian students announced as winner of Microsoft Imagine Cup Asia Pacific Finals

Returning for the second year, seven triumphant student teams earned the opportunity to compete at the Imagine Cup World Finals in Seattle; teams from Thailand and Singapore took home the first runner-up and second runner-up prizes respectively





Microsoft today crowned Team PINE from Malaysia as the winner of its second Imagine Cup Asia Pacific Regional Finals, after a nail-biting finale against 14 other teams from across the region. Six other teams were also selected to continue their journey at the Imagine Cup World Finals which will be held in Seattle in July.

Team PINE developed a handheld sensing device that can help pineapple farmers efficiently and effectively evaluate optimal levels of ripeness prior to harvest, and in a non-intrusive manner. This is because traditional methods of determining ripeness use a refractometer, which subjects the fruit to destructive analysis. Team PINE’s solution aims to minimise wastage and help pineapple farmers maximise the percentage of harvest brought to market for export.

The first runner-up and second runner-up places were awarded to Team BeeConnex from Thailand, and Team 7x from Singapore, respectively.

Team BeeConnex from Thailand came up with the Smart Hive; an IoT device that enables beekeepers to track and monitor the health of a beehive. The device is also able to alert beekeepers when potential issues are detected within the hive.

Singapore’s Team 7x created ProCubeX, an interactive smart-learning cube designed as an early intervention tool for children with dyslexia. The cube will intelligently generate an individualized education plan for dyslexic children, triggering multisensory stimulation as well as the parts of the brain responsible for language learning.

In all, seven teams from the Imagine Cup APAC Regional Finals were selected to continue their innovation journey to the next level at the Imagine Cup World Finals. The seven teams are:

Team Name	Market	Prize
Team PINE	Malaysia	Champion
Team BeeConnex	Thailand	1st Runner-Up
Team 7x	Singapore	2nd Runner-Up
Team Beehive Drone	Indonesia	*Worldwide Finalist
Team Classum	Korea	*Worldwide Finalist
Team En#22.45km	Korea	*Worldwide Finalist
Team SochWare	Nepal	*Worldwide Finalist

* In no particular order of merit

The student teams will take their innovation journey to the next level at the Imagine Cup World Finals. Held in Seattle this July, the World Finals will gather more than 50 student teams from all over the world, all vying for the top prize of up to US$100,000, mentorship opportunities with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, as well as Azure grants and credits to bring their winning solution to the market.

The 15 finalist teams which participated in the regional finals came from nine countries, including Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. These teams were selected from local finals that were held in each country earlier this year. To find more about each team and their cutting-edge innovation, please visit https://news.microsoft.com/apac/2018/04/02/meet-the-imagine-cup-2018-asia-pacific-regional-finalists/

Dave Miller, Commercial Software Engineering Lead, Microsoft Asia Pacific, said: “Imagine Cup has always strived to be the platform for students to turn their dreams into entrepreneurial realities. Every year, we have the privilege to witness great ideas from budding innovators working hard to solve pressing challenges with smart, effective solutions. We are here to help them take their first steps towards achieving their goals, and we are excited to see how their ideas will define the future we will live in.”

The “People’s Choice Award” accolade was awarded to Team BeeTech from Vietnam, who developed a Smart Car Box that can help car owners pre-empt any possible complications before they occur. The team garnered admiration from fans through an online voting component of the regional finals.

This year’s judging panel includes Siti Norliza Mohd Sahar, Director, Talent & Digital Entrepreneurship, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC); Kelvin Tan Cheng Kian, Programme Director, National University of Singapore Enterprise; Michael Teoh Su Lim, Founder, Thriving Talents; Bikesh Lakshminand, Founder & CEO of 1337 Ventures; Alvin Chai, UX Consultant & Co-founder of Netizen Experience; LJ Chiu, Director, Audience Evangelism, Commercial Software Engineering, Microsoft, and Chris Auld, Director, Technical Evangelist, Commercial Software Engineering, Microsoft.

Michael Teoh Su Lim, Founder, Thriving Talents, shared: “This year’s competition saw many outstanding projects by talented students who have the passion to solve real-world issues that many countries in the region face today. We are excited by the passion and depth of innovation we’ve seen this year and are positive that they will make a difference in our digital future.” Michael is also an Imagine Cup alumnus, having previously participated in the New Zealand Imagine Cup in 2008, with his team taking home the Consumer’s Choice Award that year.

Microsoft forms partnerships to develop next generation of technologists in Asia Pacific

This year, Microsoft partnered with the U.S. Department of State’s Global Innovation through Science and Technology(GIST), Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), and Siri Ventures, for the Imagine Cup Asia Pacific Finals. Microsoft’s partnership with these organizations is a strong testament of the commitment to empower young talents to innovate and build real world solutions that enable people to achieve more for a better future.

GIST is the U. S. Department of State’s flagship science and technology entrepreneurship program that works to support and empower young innovators from 130 emerging economies around the world. GIST partners with the Imagine Cup competition in a shared commitment with Microsoft to use technology to solve the world’s toughest problems by inspiring student creativity, and empowering students to realize their visions by using new technology platforms.

Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation or MDEC (formerly known as Multimedia Development Corporation Sdn. Bhd.) is the lead agency in driving the digital economy in Malaysia under the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia. Since its inception 20 years ago, MDEC’s mission is to develop the nation’s digital economy. MDEC’s implementation efforts are centered on driving investments, building local tech champions, catalyzing digital innovation ecosystems and propagating digital inclusivity.

Siri Ventures is owned by Thailand’s largest property developer, Sansiri, and its strategic shareholder, Siam Commercial Bank.  Siri Ventures is a corporate venture capital who recognizes the need for technology acceleration, acquisition and adoption, either by creating, investing and partnering with startups in the real estate and adjacent industries. They are on the constant lookout for startups who will innovate the ecosystem through cutting edge technology and ideas to market.

The partnerships aim to encourage youth and entrepreneurship, provide students with opportunities and training to hone their digital skills in cutting-edge technologies, as well as fuel their creativity in building innovative solutions that matter.

Held annually since 2003, the Microsoft Imagine Cup is the world’s premier student technology competition, known affectionately by participants as the “Olympics of student technology competitions”. This year’s Imagine Cup encouraged teams to “Code with Purpose”, whereby projects were developed to address a community or societal issue with technology.

For more information about Imagine Cup, please visit https://www.imaginecup.com/.

AI-powered Vivo V9 surpasses 18,000 pre-orders ahead of nationwide launch

Vivo's newest flagship smartphone, the V9, was yet to be released in authorized stores nationwide, but it had already exceeded pre-order expectations.



As of April 5, the Vivo V9 has received over 18,000 pre-orders. The pre-orders started on March 26 after it unveiled the V9 to the press in a summer-themed launch at the City of Dreams Manila on March 22.




Due to the unprecedented success of the Vivo V9, additional units will be coming soon to accommodate the growing interest in Vivo’s new flagship unit. Vivo is very grateful to its loyal followers for the continued support. The global smartphone brand assures its fans that it will keep on pushing its boundaries to introduce consumer-friendly revolutions.





The Vivo V9 gets over 18,000 pre-orders nationwide in less than two weeks.





Known for its cutting-edge and innovative technologies, Vivo is one of the most respected smartphones in the industry. And, it continued to break limits with the release of the Vivo V9. The newest flagship smartphone has elevated its selfie expertise by seamlessly integrating artificial intelligence technology with the 24-megapixel front camera.





The Vivo V9 also features an improved AI Face Beauty technology and over 40 built-in AR Stickers to make taking selfies more fun. The smartphone also has a 6.3-inch FullView™ Display for an unparalleled viewing experience with a 90% screen-to-body ratio.




Vivo is looking a brighter 2018 ahead as it is the official smartphone of the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018.


Vivo's newest flagship smartphone may be filled with features that will make jaws drop, but it did so without sacrificing design. The V9 is a sleek, polished smartphone that comes in Pearl Black and Gold.


Head to an authorized Vivo shop near you to get experience Vivo V9’s Perfect View, Perfect Shot.


Vivo will begin selling its latest flagship smartphone, the V9, at all authorized stores nationwide on Friday, April 6. The Vivo V9 retails at Php17,990.


Check out Vivo’s official YouTube page for more information: https://youtu.be/d22rnb24L8A.



About Vivo



A global smartphone brand focused on introducing perfect sound quality and ultimate photography with cutting-edge technology, Vivo develops innovative and stylish products for young people. We now have over two hundred million users and are one of the preferred brands of young people around the world. As an Official Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup™, Vivo believes in the importance of encouraging young people to embrace self-expression and an energetic lifestyle. In the Philippines, Vivo is the top 3 smartphone brand in terms of market share with 1.5 million users nationwide.
For inquiries about Vivo, visit the Vivo website at vivoglobal.ph or check out their Facebook
(https://www.facebook.com/vivophil), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivo_philippines/), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/vivo_phil) accounts.

Acer Philippines: Breaking the industry norm

The technology industry is one of the fastest growing businesses of today. However, despite being an industry that thrives on its progressive nature, the world of innovation continues to be a man’s world. 

In the recent statistics reported by Statista, percentage of female employees in the workforce of major tech companies in the United States, range from 43% to 26%, a number significantly lower compared with the labor force that comprises of 46.8% of women. Veering away from the trend of these companies, Acer Philippines helps women break the glass ceiling and champions success.  

According to Sue Ong, Sales and Marketing Director of Acer Philippines “To be working in a company whose mission is to break barriers between technology and people, Acer believes that it starts with giving people equal opportunities. It recognizes that diversity is an asset in a male-dominated industry that Acer hopes to level the playing field for the women in our company.”

Beyond the numbers game or the proportion of men and women in an office, gender diversity is present when women are encouraged to lead. When a company is allowing women to spur to leadership positions and they can influence change, equality exists. Harvey Nash and KPMG’s recent global study of IT leadership showed that the number of women in senior roles was extraordinarily low at just 9%. 

“Working for 9 years with Acer, I’ve seen many women leaders make their mark in the company, and in turn, in the industry. This is because Acer provides a solid training ground, vast opportunities to learn, and superior tools that can equip its employees to create their own platform for where they can excel,” explains Ong. 

Creating a venue for excellence does not only start in the workplace, as Acer believes it is also important to empower the future gamechangers in the industry. With the great need of representation of women in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), the company finds value in continuously encourage students to take their place in the industry.      

“We’ve had several dialogues with our partner schools on how we can support the students in making them realize they have a future in the tech industry. We believe there is an untapped potential in these young women, and we hope to continue paving the way for them whether it’s through our seminars in or through our technology. Our technology has been used as tools to educate young minds and we hope to continue demonstrating that young women have the potential to lead the industry one day.”

The industry has a long way to go in providing more opportunities for women. Lowering the gender parity in the tech industry can convince women, both locally and globally, to take a more active role in designing, creating and sharing diverse solutions that will revolutionize the field. Acer Philippines believes it starts with empowering one woman at a time. 


About Acer
Founded in 1976, Acer is now one of the world’s top ICT companies and has a presence in over 160 countries. As Acer looks into the future, it is focused on enabling a world where hardware, software and services will fuse with one another to open up new possibilities for consumers and businesses alike. From service-oriented technologies to the Internet of Things to gaming and virtual reality, Acer’s 7,000+ employees are dedicated to the research, design, marketing, sale, and support of products and solutions that break barriers between people and technology. Please visit www.acer.com for more information.

New Jollibee Chickenjoy TVC gives us a glimpse into the lives of Muhlach family

Aga Muhlach & family share how their love for each other and their favorite Chickenjoy bring them closer.

Kids grow up so fast—and it’s only natural for parents, even celebrities like Aga and Charlene Muhlach, to miss them and pine for the good old days when they were younger. In the latest Jollibee Chickenjoy TV commercial, the couple proudly reminisce how Atasha and Andres have grown up to become loving and family-oriented.

“It was different when the kids were younger,” shared Aga. “It used to just be play time with Charlene and me. Now that they’re teens, they have their own world: their friends, their hobbies, and other activities.”

“The struggle for parents like us is letting go of the children as they become teenagers and adults,” Charlene agreed.

In the latest TV ad, the couple deals with this bittersweet moment in their lives by showing how they have taught their kids to always put family first. The story ends with a heartwarming surprise from the twins: Atasha and Andres rush back home from a game night with friends to spend precious bonding time with their parents and share a bucket of their favorite crispylicious, juicylicious Chickenjoy.

Family first

The story of this new commercial featuring the Muhlach family is very much like their day-to-day lives. Aga and Charlene take pride in teaching—by example—their children that family always comes first. Both of them had high-profile showbiz careers they put on hold to be able to dedicate more time to their twins.

“We chose to be busier with our personal lives than our professional ones and we made a conscious effort to give our children a private life so they can make great memories with us and grow up as normally as possible,” the couple said.

This choice—a ‘sacrifice’ to some—paid off as Atasha and Andres continue to enjoy a close, loving relationship with their parents. The twins have certainly grown up to be independent and grounded.

“Our parents instilled in us the values of humility, respect, honesty, kindness, and forgiveness,” Atasha shared. “They also taught us that happiness does not come from material things but with the life that we get to experience.”

“They also encouraged us to play outside to learn new things and create new memories. We only got our own phones last year, so we know the value of putting our phones away and actually talking and interacting with those around us,” Andres added.

“Our favorite family activities are playing basketball or staying at home to watch a movie and ordering Jollibee!” the twins shared.

“We’ve raised them to put family first no matter what,” Charlene said. “I think we’re like every Filipino family with love for family as the core value.”

The joy of family with Jollibee

“It’s really fitting for us to represent Jollibee, not only because we have so much fun shooting the commercials together, but also because it’s the kind of brand that encourages us to continuously strengthen our bond and connection,” Charlene said. “Our bonding moments become extra special when it includes something we love, like our favorite Chickenjoy. Jollibee has truly become part of our home and family.”

“Part talaga!” Aga agreed. “We say this not because we’re Jollibee endorsers, but I grew up with Jollibee. I started with Jollibee when I was 21, when they only had 20 stores and the bosses would just eat dinner and lunch with me. It was like that as they grew and then I got married and had kids.”

Apart from Jollibee commercials, the couple shared that birthday parties, camping trips, and other milestones were spent with their favorite Chickenjoy and the Jollibee mascot.

“Because of Jollibee, our twins had and continue to have so many wonderful memories,” Charlene said.

“We at Jollibee are happy and grateful that the Muhlachs have shared so much of their family life with us. Our latest commercials that feature them are all inspired by their real-life family dynamics. We hope that the Muhlach family’s story will inspire others to value the importance of family bonding and take time to create special moments with their loved ones,” concluded Cathleen Capati, Jollibee Marketing Director for Flagship Products.

Celebrate the joy of family with the one and only crispylicious, juicylicious Chickenjoy, available in all Jollibee stores nationwide for dine-in, delivery, take-out, and drive-thru transactions. For more information on your family’s favorite Jolly treats and upcoming promos, like Jollibee Philippines on Facebook and follow @Jollibee on Twitter and Instagram.

Dove announces global partnership with Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe to build self-esteem and body confidence in young people using mainstream entertainment for the first time

The two-year partnership takes the Dove Self-Esteem Project, the world’s largest provider of self-esteem education, to a scale never-seen-before

April 5, 2018 – Dove announces a two-year global partnership with Cartoon Network's Steven Universe to educate young people on body confidence through the cartoon's themes of inclusivity and empowerment, world and characters - going directly to them in a medium they know and love, something that has never been done before.

Dove Announces Global Partnership With Cartoon Network's Steven Universe to Build Self-Esteem and Body Confidence in Young People Using Mainstream Entertainment for the First Time (PRNewsfoto/Dove)

This pioneering collaboration comes from the Dove Self-Esteem Project which has been helping young people build self-esteem and body confidence through educational programmes since 2004. The project is based on the knowledge that over half of girls do not have high body confidence, leading them to avoid spending time with friends and family, put their health at risk and opt-out of important life events. The Dove Self-Esteem Project exists in 140 countries around the world and is committed to reaching 40 million young people by 2020 through its existing educational programmes; and with the help of Steven Universe, will now reach 20 million more.

Using a public health intervention model, the Dove Self-Esteem Project will expand beyond structured workshops delivered by adults, to taking educational content direct to young people on a scale never-seen before. And in the case of the project's partnership with Cartoon Network, this will be Steven Universe's young viewers to positively impact their self-esteem and body confidence.

The partnership will come to life in a series of six short animated films directed by Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar, the first of which premieres today. Working with the Dove Self-Esteem Project, all content has been carefully co-created and grounded in scientific evidence by body image expert, Dr Phillippa Diedrichs at the Centre for Appearance Research at the University of the West of England in order to make a meaningful impact on a young person's self-esteem and body confidence.

Later this year, an original song featuring the cast of the show, an accompanying music video, and an educational eBook will also be launched adding to the Dove Self-Esteem Project's commitment to create a media landscape for young people that is inclusive by acknowledging every person's uniqueness and representing true diversity.

"Since 2004, through the Dove Self-Esteem Project, we have been providing young people with the tools and resources they need to develop body confidence and self-esteem so they can fully participate in life and reach their full potential," says Sophie Galvani, Dove Global Vice President. "We are passionate about evolving the types of messages the next generation arereceiving through media, which is why we are working side by side with partners to take the programme to the next level. We are introducing new tools to enable us to reach even more young people with content that not only educates but also entertains. By partnering with Cartoon Network and Rebecca Sugar we are able to create new ways to make a real impact towards our mission of helping young people build positive body confidence and self-esteem."

Research shows that children's media can be a powerful source of influence on young viewers' body image and emotional intelligence, with carefully designed inclusive content creating more positive attitudes and behaviours towards their own health and others.

"Appearance ideals and stereotypes are widespread in children's media. Studies show that this trend occurs more frequently on screen than in books. Therefore, it is vital to have new content that encourages children to have a positive relationship with the way they look and showcases a diverse and inclusive range of appearances," states Dr Phillippa Diedrichs, Body Image Expert. "The partnership creates content that tackles topics identified in scientific research as key influences on young people's body confidence, and delivers it in an engaging and fun way."

Critically acclaimed, Steven Universe is the first animated series on Cartoon Network to be created by a woman. A global pop culture phenomenon recognized for its overall themes of inclusivity, empathy and relatability, the show is inspired by Rebecca's friendship and close relationship with her younger brother Steven.

"It has always been important to us that our content resonates with our audience and empowers them," says Christina Miller, president of Cartoon Network. "This partnership is unprecedented in its scale, reach and ambition to make a difference in kids lives around the world."

"Cartoons are a powerful medium when it comes to empathy and understanding, which is why my team and I take great care with Steven Universe to reflect real issues that affect our audience," says Rebecca . "I'm grateful that I will have access to a plethora of research on body image and mental health thanks to this partnership with the Dove Self-Esteem Project. This is an issue I have struggled with personally and I hope this will be a chance to amplify positive messages about self-awareness and acceptance."