Ripple Effects Interactive and the Ad Council Develop Early Childhood Learning Web Site for United Way Campaign

May 9, 2005 -- Ripple Effects Interactive, one of the nation’s leading digital marketing agencies, announced that it has launched a new Web site, www.bornlearning.org, for the United Way that helps parents and caregivers discover how to improve their children’s learning capabilities in fun and easy ways. The site is part of an integrated media campaign – which includes television, radio, print and Web communications – developed in partnership with the Ad Council.

Bornlearning.org is a destination for parents in search of ideas on how to turn everyday moments into times when they can stimulate learning by their young children. For example, the site offers laundry time as an ideal opportunity to teach infants and toddlers about colors.

“Throughout development of Bornlearning.org, our goal was to create a site that enables the United Way to educate parents about the importance of maximizing every opportunity during their children’s early childhood stage to stimulate learning,” said Louis Malafarina, chief executive officer at Ripple Effects.

The Web site, which will also be offered in Spanish soon, categorizes its tips in three primary categories of opportunities – Home, which includes laundry, mealtime and bedtime; Traveling, which includes in the car, on public transit and on a walk; and Public Places, which includes at the market, park and library. Site visitors can also sign up to receive Bits of Understanding, a regularly distributed e-newsletter with additional tips and ideas.

The United Way’s partners, Civitas and the Families and Work Institute, provided the content for the new site. Ripple Effects Interactive designed a series of rich media banner ads for the marketing campaign, and provided its content management system to the United Way so the organization could easily update the site’s content.

The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization with a rich history of marshalling volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public. Having produced literally thousands of PSA campaigns addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has effected, and continues to effect tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action and saving lives.

Ripple Effects Interactive is a premier digital marketing agency ranked among the nation’s Top 50 interactive firms by Ad Age and MEDIA magazines. Offering a full range of services – from strategic communications planning, Web site design to online marketing and Web application development, the agency has built a solid reputation for creating highly sophisticated, imaginative and innovative communication strategies and Web experiences. From offices in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and with over 40 interactive marketing specialists, the agency serves a prestigious client roster of consumer & lifestyle, tourism and travel, higher education, and cultural & non-profit organizations – including the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Office of National Drug Control Policy, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Coca-Cola and Carnegie Mellon University. For more information, visit www.RippleEffectsInteractive.com.