“Sound Affects” Hearing Awareness Campaign

Overview

Through the “Sound Affects” campaign, the Starkey Hearing Foundation will educate consumers about the risks of overexposing their ears to noise and what they can do to prevent damaging their hearing. The “Sound Affects” message is simple: If someone speaks to you and your reaction is, "What?" the volume is too high.

Campaign Elements

Platinum country recording artist and three-time GRAMMY winner Trisha Yearwood and leading audiologist Gyl Kasewurm have joined the Starkey Hearing Foundation to help spread the “Sound Affects” message and educate consumers about how to protect their hearing. Yearwood will be featured in the “Sound Affects” regional USA Today ad campaign and will be part of a larger advertising campaign featuring well-known musicians. Both Yearwood and Dr. Kasewurm will serve as media spokespeople.

The Starkey Hearing Foundation is partnering with USA Today for a nationwide school program to offer information about the causes of hearing loss and steps consumers can take to protect their ears. The educational program will reach 30,000 elementary, middle and high school classrooms and 400 universities across the country.

In addition, the Starkey Hearing Foundation will partner with consumer electronics manufacturers and companies in the music, entertainment and sporting industries to bring the “Sound Affects” message directly to consumers where they are most at risk of damaging their hearing.

About Starkey Hearing Foundation

The Starkey Hearing Foundation is a 501©(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization dedicated to giving the gift of hearing to the world. Established in 1973 by William F. Austin, founder and CEO of Starkey Laboratories, one of the world's leading hearing technology companies, SHF promotes auditory health education and research to help prevent hearing impairment and one day find a way to reverse hearing loss.

Through Hearing Missions that involve thousands of volunteers and donors, the foundation delivers more than 20,000 hearing aids annually to those in need, "so the world may hear." SHF conducts missions in Africa, Asia, Europe, Caribbean, South and Central America, Mexico, the Middle East, the United States, enabling those who cannot hear in more than 100 countries, regions and cities worldwide.

Website

For more information about the Starkey Hearing Foundation, please visit www.sotheworldmayhear.org.

Key Executives

Founder, William F. Austin
Executive Director, Debbie Wright

Media Contact

Caroline Lemelin
Starkey Hearing Foundation
Phone: (866) 354-3254
E-mail: caroline_lemelin@starkey.com