HBCU Connect Partners With Merck For Novel Approach to Health

— Alliance will connect black audience with targeted lifestyle and health information —

Columbus, OH -– HBCU Connect, the trusted source for community engagement and lifestyle information for the alumni of America’s Historically Black Colleges & Universities, recently announced a new partnership with innovative pharmaceutical company Merck. The alliance, which has just launched, will provide HBCU Connect’s educated African-American readership with targeted health and lifestyle information relevant to the black community through a dedicated health and wellness microsite (www.hbcuconnect.com/merckengage).

The Health and Wellness microsite will include co-branded content relevant to HBCUconnect.com readers while providing a wealth of useful health information and simultaneously offering Merck a unique opportunity to engage this important customer segment. The partnership is designed to offer resources that can improve awareness and help better manage common health conditions prevalent in the African American community.

In addition to the microsite HBCUConnect.com members will have access to all of Merck’s consumer offers which include disease management, fitness tips, healthy eating, recipes, and coupon offers by accessing the comprehensive website at www.MerckEngage.com. MerckEngage.com offers health information, tips, and tools website visitors can rely on every day.

“Our readers are smart, conscious consumers and offer our partners a personal link to the most powerful movers and shakers in the African-American community,” says Will Moss, CEO of HBCU Connect. “We’re honored to partner with a corporation of such great stature and look forward to a beneficial business relationship that will benefit both of our institutions as well as our web site visitors.”

While its educated African American readership benefits from useful health and lifestyle resources from Merck, HBCU Connect presents the pharmaceutical giant with a valuable marketing opportunity: the potential to reach more than 1.5 million followers across HBCUConnect.com, Facebook, and Twitter. Both brands recognize the value of connecting with the African-American community in such a personal way and look forward to bringing useful health and wellness content to such a crucial network.

HBCU Connect is the undisputed leader in uniting alumni of America’s foremost HBCUs with valuable resources for career development, community engagement and now even health and wellness. In addition to its flagship site, the company produces a number of other sites designed to engage with educated consumers in the African-American community, including BlackNews.com and BlackHealth.org.

Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. Through prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products, Merck works with customers and operates in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. Merck also demonstrates a commitment to increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information, visit www.merck.com.

About HBCU Connect
Founded in 1999, HBCU Connect (www.hbcuconnect.com), is the first and largest media outlet targeted towards the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) community. Boasting over 1.5 million registered members and encompassing a complete web portal, magazine, recruiting engine, social networking site, forums, blogs, news feeds and shopping, The site serves the needs of HBCU aspirants, students, alumni, faculty and staff by providing a single destination and launching point for the entire diaspora.

PRESS CONTACT:
Will Moss
HBCU Connect
614-416-5515