A little bit of powder… another spritz of hairspray… one more quick check in the mirror to make sure everything is just so… And voila!  Perfection!  Not us, of course, nor are we predicting what an Oscar nominee’s final moments of primping must be like as they prepare to walk up that famous red carpet.  We’re talking about the Whole Grain Stamp, which has been getting quite a bit of on-air attention lately – color us thrilled!

We confess, we love it when the Whole Grain Stamp gets recognition, and it almost doesn’t matter how or where it happens.  The Stamp appears in print time after time, appearing in an average of 200 news articles each year, both as an in-text reference and as story-related graphics.  Bloggers write about how happy they are to learn that the Stamp shows exactly how much whole grain they’re getting in each serving of their favorite whole grain products.  And with over 3,400 products now using the Stamp in 20 different countries around the world, the chances are good that you’ve seen it walking through the aisles of your local grocery store.

This latest round of attention has brought us off the products and out of the pages and straight onto your TV.  We shouldn’t be surprised – Oprah Winfrey, the grand dame of television herself, introduced the then three-month-old Stamp to the world on her show back in May of 2005 by saying “…If you still aren’t sure which of your favorite foods are really made with whole grains, look soon for these Stamps on products.  They’re going to help take out the guesswork.”  Close to five years later, we’ve certain done our best to help consumers help themselves to healthier whole grain options as often as possible.  Who wouldn’t want to live up to Oprah’s praise!  But sometimes, it’s almost as if we forgot how good the Stamp looks on TV (which is silly, since we’ve got nothing to fear from HDTV!), and it’s both delightful and refreshing that we’ve been reminded we’re just as picture perfect as Sunday night’s stars.

If you happened to be watching the Today Show on January 28th, you might have caught nutrition expert Joy Bauer in a wonderful segment on whole grain pasta.  Not only did we love seeing some of our Member’s products on screen, the segment also included a strong endorsement of the Whole Grain Stamp.  How strong?  A close-up of the Stamp graphic fills the screen for something like 10 seconds!  In morning prime time!!  And then, when Meredith Vieira asked, “What do you need to make sure is on the label?” Joy answered, “The simplest way is to look for this Stamp.” OMGPON1ES!1!! *satisfied sigh*  Yeah, that one was a thrill…

The Stamp has also made appearances on some regional shows as well.  In February, we were contacted by WSKG-TV in Binghamton, NY to see if they could use some Stamp graphic in an episode of their Move It! kids show.  This show is especially cool – who wouldn’t want to go on a pond safari at Finch Hollow Nature Center, or take part in a salsa dance competition?  The hosts of the show are kids, the show is for kids, and although plenty of adults make appearances (like players from the Binghamton Senators hockey team!), it’s definitely a show we’d want our 10-year-olds watching if we lived nearer.  Thankfully, the Move It! folks are pretty savvy and have posted all their episodes online.  You can watch the episode featuring the Whole Grain Stamp by clicking here; the Stamp appears at 15:51.  

And then, just yesterday, the Stamp appeared on televisions throughout New Hampshire during the “Positive Parenting” feature on WMUR-TV’s news at noon.  Alice Mullen, a Family and Consumer Resources educator with UNH Cooperative Extension, spoke about how parents can include whole grains in their child’s diet and our sources tell us the Whole Grain Stamp appeared on screen almost the whole time!  The smart folks at the UNH Cooperative Extension reproduce the tips and trips presented during the “Positive Parenting” segments for their web site, so be sure to check them out here.

What’s next for the Stamp, you ask?  An Oscars’ after party, of course!  Truth be told, we’re never sure where we’ll end up next.  Maybe you’ll see the Stamp on a billboard the next time you’re driving to the airport.  Maybe some Hollywood props master will decide products with the Stamp absolutely have to be in that big family film you heard is coming out next summer.  Maybe Oprah will invite us to join her back on the air this spring to celebrate the Stamp’s fifth birthday (hinthinthint).  Wherever we go, we’ll be bringing the word of whole grain goodness with us.  Now pass the champagne – and the popcorn, of course!  (Kara)