Starbucks, an experienced player on a social pitch, is encouraging young Americans to experience the power of spoken words. The coffee company teamed up with The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (The NAACP) to launch the One Nation Spoken Word Showcase Tour, encouraging generation Y to participate in a range of activities, revolving around listening and speaking on a range of themes that focus on self-development and human rights.

The General Mills Foundation launched the One Million PALA Challenge in partnership with the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition (PCFSN) President’s Challenge program, Box Tops for Education® and the Amateur Athletic Union. Through the initiative, the General Mills Foundation will fund up to one million PALA for students across the United States. The program encourages children to lead healthy, active lifestyles.

Doritos launched the biggest, most unexpected Crash the Super Bowl yet. With an ad contract and a $5 million payout on the line for sweeping the top three rankings of the USA TODAY Ad Meter, the contest will offer an unprecedented six :30 Super Bowl ad spots for consumer-created commercials. Plus, this year’s contest brings the most surprising twist to date—Doritos inviting Pepsi MAX to the program for even more chances to sweep the top spots on the Ad Meter. Each brand will air three :30 consumer-created ads during the Super Bowl XLV broadcast, February 6, on FOX.

Kraft Foods launched a worldwide initiative to celebrate play and fight world hunger. Through an app on Kraft Foods’ corporate Facebook page, the company is encouraging consumers to upload photos of people at play. And for each photo provided, Kraft Foods will donate five meals (up to 500,000) to the United Nations World Food Programme’s Fill the Cup campaign, which aims to feed more than 20 million children around the world who go to school hungry every day.

This summer, Converse encouraged Philippine youth to share their creativity with the brand and public. No, it wasn’t about crowsourcing ideas for another commercial or a concept for a new ad campaign, which is now very popular among other brands. The new initiative was completely traditional—the footwear brand collaborated with young creative minds to present a huge exhibition of artworks, crafted from converse shoes or inspired by them.

The Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition® (HCHN) joined with the American Dietetic Association (ADA) to unveil Moderation Nation™, a new national program which kicks off by providing complimentary visits with ADA member registered dietitians to consumers, age 18 or over. Moderation Nation seeks to educate people on how to achieve balance in their lives through moderation, both in nutrition and physical activity.