INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Roche announced today that it has launched a new web site, www.rockmymeter.com, where visitors can create their own mini music video featuring an ACCU-CHEK(R) Aviva blood glucose meter.
Once visitors get onto the site, they can begin personalizing the look and feel of the meter by designing a virtual meter skin, picking or creating original music and having it dance. The finished creation displays on a video billboard in a fun and festive environment. Then they can save their creation and place it in a lineup to be voted on by others, as well as send it to their friends.
"Today, consumers want to personalize their cell phones and other items, so why not their ACCU-CHEK(R) blood glucose meter?" said Dan Kane, Vice President of Marketing, ACCU-CHEK Diabetes Care. "It's an entertaining web site, where everyone can use their creativity and bring a little fun to an otherwise serious disease -- diabetes."
Kane hopes visitors enjoy spending some time on the site and that they choose to send their creation to friends via an email or even post it on social media sites like MySpace or Facebook. There's even a place for visitors to store multiple meter skin creations so they can revisit their favorite designs. And, while on the site, visitors can check for free offers from ACCU- CHEK(R).
"Managing diabetes is hard work," said William H. Polonsky, PhD, CDE, who specializes in psychosocial issues in diabetes. "It's a full time job that you didn't volunteer for, there is no pay and you can't quit. Frankly, it's not that much fun to check blood sugar levels. But with a little creativity and personalization like you can find on www.rockmymeter.com, you can have a little fun with your meter, which can add some inspiration and maybe even make it just a bit easier to monitor."
"We want people with diabetes to have fun with rockmymeter.com. But we also want to hit home the value of monitoring their blood glucose level," Kane said. "Numerous studies have shown that proper self-management of diabetes leads to better outcomes. And having a little fun with their ACCU-CHEK(R) Aviva meter may help break down the barrier to self monitoring."
About Roche Diabetes Care
Roche Diabetes Care is a pioneer in the development of blood glucose monitoring systems and a global leader for diabetes management systems and services. For more than 30 years, Roche has been committed to helping people with diabetes live lives that are as normal and active as possible and has been helping healthcare professionals manage their patients' condition in an optimal way. Today, the ACCU-CHEK portfolio offers people with diabetes and healthcare professionals innovative products, services and comprehensive solutions for convenient, efficient and effective diabetes management-from blood glucose monitoring through information management to insulin delivery. The ACCU-CHEK brand encompasses blood glucose meters, infusion pumps, lancing and data management systems.
For more information, please visit www.accu-chek.com.
About Roche
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world's leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As the world's largest biotech company and an innovator of products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the Roche Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people's health and quality of life. Roche is the world leader in in vitro diagnostics and drugs for cancer and transplantation as well as a market leader in virology. It is also active in other major therapeutic areas, such as autoimmune diseases, inflammatory and metabolic disorders and diseases of the central nervous system. In 2007, sales by the Pharmaceuticals Division totaled 36.8 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 9.3 billion francs. Roche has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners-including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai-and has invested over 8 billion Swiss francs in R&D in 2007. Worldwide, the Roche employs about 79,000 people. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.roche-diagnostics.us.
CONTACT: Julie Vincent, Public Relations Manager, Roche ACCU-CHEK(R)
Brand, julie.vincent@roche.com, +1-317-521-1910
Web site: http://www.roche-diagnostics.us/
http://www.rockmymeter.com/
http://www.accu-chek.com/
