PopCap games and the American Dental Association (ADA) this weekend announced that dentists across the U.S. will be handing out packs of Plants vs. Zombies trading cards featuring characters from the game. Each card pack also includes a coupon redeemable for a free copy of the PC/Mac edition of Plants vs. Zombies.
The giveaway is part of the “Stop Zombie Mouth” campaign that PopCap and the ADA announced last month. The redeemable coupons found in the card packs are also freely available at the campaign’s website. The purpose of the campaign, which lasts through Halloween, is to spread awareness of oral health at a time of year when candy is sold in bulk. The website states that PopCap and the ADA are “redefining what a Halloween ‘treat’ can be…by giving FUN instead of candy.”
“Changing eating habits among children is one of the most important yet difficult challenges that parents face today,” said Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest and a supporter of the campaign. “The ADA and PopCap Games have come up with a fun, clever, and compelling approach that should appeal to young trick-or-treaters this Halloween. This campaign will help children recognize the relationship between healthy eating and healthy teeth, and provide one of the coolest alternatives to sugary snacks yet.”
The limited edition trading card packs to be handed out by dentists will have 5 cards each. The cards will feature 45 different zombie types, including 5 new characters that represent mouth germs. A campaign music video, seen below, was also released featuring the lyrical stylings of those mouth germs. The video is about two minutes long, and can be used as a timer when brushing teeth, according to PopCap and the ADA.