(MONTVALE, NJ—MAY 22, 2013) — Benjamin Moore, North America’s most respected paint manufacturer and color authority, announced today its biggest initiative ever to revitalize communities across North America through the launch of “Main Street Matters.”

The campaign asks consumers around the country to cast their vote online for which 20 Main Streets should be revitalized of the more than 100 North American cities nominated at www.paintwhatmatters.com.

The effort will be undertaken with the help of multiple partner organizations around the country, including Make It Right, a long-time partner of Benjamin Moore that was founded by actor-philanthropist Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt will be lending his voice in support of the effort that Benjamin Moore is undertaking with Main Street Matters.

In addition to partner organizations, this effort will be brought to life with local Benjamin Moore dealers and in conjunction with local municipalities, small businesses and local Chambers of Commerce. The effort will begin this summer and the work on repainting these Main Streets will be completed over the next year.

“Our Main Streets are the vital hubs of our communities – and Benjamin Moore and our network of independent dealers have always been integral parts of Main Street,” said David Melançon, Chief Marketing Officer of Benjamin Moore. “This investment we’re making in communities around North America is core to our business and to who we are; Main Streets make us who we are and we’re proud to honor that with this effort.

Benjamin Moore will not only provide the paint and supplies needed for façades, porches, railings, shutters and other exterior building trims, but its color experts will consult on the best choices to enhance the architectural style, regional influences and historic references in each community. Skilled professional painters, many of them members of the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America, will be hired, putting another segment of local business to work along with the local Benjamin Moore retailer who will be mixing the paints that are used.

The communications portion of “Main Street Matters”, which allows local businesses and community members to tell their stories, includes not only the online component, but also is being supported by an aggressive advertising program. A mix of national and local market TV, radio, online and print ads will hit North America starting in May as part of the company’s overall increase in marketing, which is up 61% compared to the previous year.

Voting began at 12:00 a.m. EST on May 16, 2013 and will end at 11:59 p.m. EST on June 30, 2013. Benjamin Moore will post the final list of Main Streets and towns to be repainted on www.paintwhatmatters.com in July.

For more information and a list of nominated cities across the U.S. and Canada, please visit www.paintwhatmatters.com.

About Benjamin Moore
Benjamin Moore & Co., a Berkshire Hathaway company, was founded in 1883. One of the country’s leading manufacturers of premium quality residential, commercial and industrial maintenance coatings, Benjamin Moore maintains a relentless commitment to sustainable manufacturing practices and continues to develop the most eco-responsible formulations possible. In 2012, the company’s Natura paint received the Green Good Housekeeping Seal, acknowledging its high degree of sustainability plus rigorously tested performance. Other superior products in Benjamin Moore ’s Green Promise® portfolio are Aura, Regal Select, Advance, ben, Grand Entrance and Ultra Spec paint for commercial interiors — all built upon our proprietary Gennex platform that has changed the industry and earned the passion and loyalty of homeowners and professional painters by delivering extremely low-VOC and peerless beauty and performance. J.D. Power and Associates 2013 Interior paint Satisfaction Study ranked Benjamin Moore highest in consumer satisfaction, marking the third consecutive year and fourth time the company has earned this rating. Benjamin Moore paints deliver authentic Benjamin Moore colors and are available exclusively from Benjamin Moore’s North American network of paint and decorating retailers.
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