DALLAS — Kimberly-Clark Corp. is launching the achoo by Kleenex tool, which it calls the first and only cold and flu predictive tool that can determine where the flu will hit next.
The company said Tuesday that the online tool can help consumers lessen the uncertainty seen in flu seasons like last year’s, which saw its earliest start in nearly a decade.
The achoo by Kleenex tool utilizes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data and a proprietary forecasting model developed by a global network of professors, business leaders and highly trained analysts, according to Kimberly-Clark. The tool predicts where cold and flu will hit next up to three weeks in advance and has an average accuracy rate of more than 90%, well beyond the "current status" that other sources provide, the company noted.
"For years, we have seen the cold and flu wreak havoc on our lives. It hits without warning, and the timing, location and severity vary from year to year, leaving everyone unprepared," stated Anna Elledge, Kleenex brand manager. "The achoo by Kleenex tool gives everyone the opportunity to see when and where the cold and flu will hit their area. It’s one more way for Kleenex brand to help families prepare for the season and avoid sickness before it hits."
Starting in late September, consumers can go online to my-achoo.com to access the Kleenex tool and get a cold and flu forecast for their area. Users enter their ZIP code or city and state, and the tool provides a cold and flu outlook for the next three weeks. The website also features cold and flu-related tips, including covering your cough or sneeze with a facial tissue as recommended by the CDC.
"We’ve all been there, increasing our normal vitamin C intake and tearing apart the house looking for a tissue," added Elledge. "This winter, we’re helping parents avoid the ‘day one scramble’ by showing them when the cold and flu will hit so they can go out and stock up on essentials, such as Kleenex brand tissue, ahead of time."
Also in September, Kleenex will host Checkpoints in cities identified as "high risk" by the achoo by Kleenex tool to help people prepare for the cold and flu season. The Checkpoints will kick off in Chicago on Sept. 25 and be hosted by a well-known mom who will be talking to consumers about cold and flu preparedness. The company said consumers can look for Checkpoint Ambassadors in high-traffic areas for a chance to redeem retail gift cards and coupons for cold and flu essentials like Kleenex Everyday Tissue, which is now thicker and more absorbent to help keep hands clean and dry.
