MISSISSAUGA, ON, Aug. 24, 2016 /CNW/ - Morguard, a North American
real estate and property management company, today launched a
national social cause marketing campaign called BeYou,
supported by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. With the goal of helping girls
increase self-esteem, personal growth and self-worth, the program
will be rolled out in 21 enclosed shopping centres in the Morguard
owned and managed retail portfolio.
The multi-faceted social cause marketing campaign is designed to
provide young girls between the ages of 9 – 14 with better access
to developmental tools that will empower them to achieve their
goals and embrace their skills in a media and technology driven
time.
The Hard Facts
- 9 out of 10 girls say they feel pressure from the media to be
thin
- 50% of girls in grade 6 are on a diet
- Almost half a million girls have posted YouTube videos of
themselves asking "Am I pretty, or am I ugly?"
- Girls' self-esteem peaks at age 9
- Only 11% of girls age 16 are physically active enough to
benefit their health
"The facts are as shocking as they are heartbreaking", said
Ed Lincz, Vice President, Retail
Operations at Morguard. "Because our shopping centres are
community hubs for families, we saw an opportunity to play an
integral role in creating positive, long-lasting benefits in the
community with the BeYou program. We have the ability to reach out
directly to young girls in each of our local communities to support
them during their formative years and encourage them to express
themselves and realize their full potential."
Added Peter Coleridge, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big
Sisters of Canada, "Witnessing the
transformation of a child into a confident and motivated young
person is a truly remarkable thing. Proudly, this is something our
staff, volunteer mentors and partners like Morguard help bring
about every day, and we're very grateful for the positivity and
inspirational dialogue spurred by the BeYou campaign."
Morguard's 21 super regional and regional enclosed shopping
centres are participating in the program which together represent
more than 12 million square feet of retail space and a social media
reach of more than 1.8 million. Local ambassadors, workshops and
events are planned in each participating shopping centre catering
specifically to young girls in that community. In addition, several
national initiatives will be backed by the Program Ambassador for
#BeYou, television personality Erin
Cebula, who will be on location for several launch events
and will also provide extensive social media involvement:
- BeYou Digital Website: A digital hub for the BeYou campaign
providing resources, workshop dates, and inspirational
messages
- Jump & BeYou: Photo booth where girls are captured in a
moment of exuberance and joy and provided with a simple take away
as a memento of happiness
- I Promise….: A digital "Promise" wall in each participating
Morguard centre displays encouraging and positive pledges from
girls all across Canada
- Social Media Hashtags and Messaging: The official Hashtag
across all platforms: #beyougirl
For more information, including a list of participating Morguard
super regional and regional shopping centres, please visit
beyougirl.ca.
About Morguard Corporation
Morguard Corporation (TSX:
MRC) is a major North American real estate and property management
company. It has extensive retail, office, industrial,
multi–suite residential and hotel holdings owned directly, or
through its investment in Morguard REIT (TSX: MRT.UN) and
Morguard North American Residential REIT (TSX:
MRG.UN). Morguard Investments Limited, a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Morguard Corporation, provides real estate advisory
services and property management to institutional investors.
Morguard's combined real estate portfolio is valued at $16.0
billion. For more information, visit MORGUARD.COM.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada
Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Canada facilitates life-changing
relationships that inspire and empower children and youth to reach
their potential, both as individuals and citizens. Big Brothers Big
Sisters of Canada run an ongoing
group mentoring program in almost all of Morguard's markets across
the country. Go Girls!, for girls aged 12-14, focuses on physical
activity, balanced eating and self-esteem.
SOURCE Morguard Corporation