CINCINNATI, Nov. 5, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG - News) today launched Brighten Bay - a new Cheer soap campaign that will brighten laundry routines at an affordable price. The campaign was inspired by daytime dramas and includes a new ad featuring real-life soap star Cameron Mathison, of ABC's All My Children. The brands' first major campaign since the introduction of "The Laundress" in 2007, Brighten Bay is a fun and quirky vehicle which, like soap operas, brings to life all the excitement of the day-to-day happenings in a small community.

The campaign features storylines and webisodes set in Brighten Bay, a colorful community with on-going drama between its neighbors, including: Nurse Nancy, Sandy, David and the hero of Brighten Bay, Dr. Dan, played by soap opera star Cameron Mathison. Viewers will tune in to watch the drama unfold as Dr. Dan goes head-to-head with David in battles involving love, lies and heartbreak. The campaign will be supported by a robust interactive Web site, www.BrightenBay.com, where viewers can join the community and follow along closely as the plot thickens surrounding Dr. Dan, the bright spot in a dirty world. Visitors to the site will also have access to sweepstakes, soap opera trivia, and other games and activities featured on the Brighten Bay Facebook® fan page and the Brighten Bay YouTube® channel. (1)

Sparkle Like a Star in Brighten Bay with Cameron Mathison

Fans of soap operas across the country can log on to www.BrightenBay.com and watch the drama unfold in the Brighten Bay community. On the website, consumers can get the latest scoop from Brighten Bay, and they can even enter to win Cheer's "Sparkle Like a Star" Sweepstakes, for a trip for two to Los Angeles. The winner will receive star treatment, including first class accommodations, spa treatments and lunch with Brighten Bay's very own Dr. Dan, to discuss the campaign's online community and how to add sparkle to their daily lives. The sweepstakes runs from November 3rd, 2009 thru December 11th, 2009 and no purchase is necessary to join. Consumers can enter and see official rules at www.brightenbay.com.

"Daytime dramas have long been a guilty pleasure in America," remarked Cameron Mathison. "What I love about Brighten Bay is that it's a fun and clever campaign, but also - just like a real soap opera - it aims to connect with women and give them something to look forward to each day, helping to brighten up their routines. The campaign website, BrightenBay.com, allows people to delve deeper to learn all about the back stories in Brighten Bay, and even have a chance to fly out to LA to be treated like a star."

Sparkling Bright at a New Lower Price*

The campaign celebrates Cheer's longstanding commitment to provide consumers with sparkling bright clothes - now at a new, lower price point.* Like many daytime dramas, Cheer helps bring balance to laundry-doer's lives by providing outstanding whitening and brightening. Now, the new lower price point* also offers a great value, making consumers feel like they have a simple solution at their fingertips.

"The new Brighten Bay soap opera campaign for Cheer was a natural next step for the brand," said Carrie Costello, Cheer Brand Manager. "We wanted to hone in on the relationship with our consumer and connect with her on an emotional level. The campaign is a clever way to brighten up her routine while the new price point provides her with a product that cleans clothes sparkling bright at a great value."

To learn more about Cheer and Brighten Bay, visit www.Cheer.com and www.BrightenBay.com for additional information.

*Based on manufacturer's suggested retail price.

About Cheer®

Cheer® laundry detergent is a trusted brand that provides outstanding whiteness and brightening. The Cheer brightCLEAN(TM) formula gets clothes sparkling bright, fighting "the dingies" in just one wash. Cheer brightCLEAN(TM) detergent offerings include: Fresh Clean Scent, Free and Gentle®, Cheer brightCLEAN(TM) For Darks, Cheer brightCLEAN(TM) Bleach Alternative and Bounce® Fresh Linen Scent. For more information, visit www.Cheer.com.

About Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG - News)

Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Pringles®, Folgers®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Actonel®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Gain®. The P&G community consists of over 135,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

About Cameron Mathison

Cameron Mathison is a Daytime Emmy® nominee and Soap Opera Digest Award Winning actor. He joined the cast of All My Children in January 1999 as Ryan Lavery. After leaving the show for a year, he returned in 2003 to reprise this fan-favorite role. In September 2007, Mathison joined the cast of ABC's Dancing with the Stars. He currently serves as a correspondent for Good Morning America on ABC.

(1) Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.; YouTube® is a registered trademark of Google Inc.

    For more information, please contact:

    DeVries Public Relations
    Jillian Kwolek
    646-253-0235/jkwolek@devries-pr.com

    P&G
    Christina Saunders
    513-983-7987/saunders.c.2@pg.com