Starting healthy lifestyle habits when you’re young will stand to you for the rest of your life, according to Rob Kearney.

The National Dairy Council (NDC) ambassador and Irish rugby international was speaking at the recent launch of ‘Win With Dairy’ – the NDC’s new campaign to promote Irish dairy.

“Exploring and finding a sport or exercise you enjoy will stand to you in the long term, at whatever age you are and whatever level you are comfortable with.

“However parents have a real opportunity to encourage healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle from childhood – and good nutrition starts with a balanced diet, including dairy,” Kearney said.

Kearney said that it’s a winning combination.

The campaign builds on the association with their rugby ambassadors Rob and Dave Kearney and coincides with the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

As part of the campaign, the NDC has taken exclusive sponsorship of RTE Radio One and RTE 2FM’s Rugby World Cup coverage, supported by ‘Win With Dairy’ radio and television advertising, with branding extending to televised highlights of the matches.

NDC Chief Executive Zoe Kavanagh said that Rob and Dave Kearney, who grew up on a farm in Co. Louth, have been ambassadors to the National Dairy Council since the start of 2014.

Dave Kearney said that their parents, Siobhan and David, actively encouraged them to try their hand at every available sport when they were growing up.

“Gaelic football, tennis, swimming, golf and rugby were just some of the activities which kept us engaged and out of mischief as children and it obviously sparked a competitive light in the early days,” Dave Kearney said.

Dermot Rigley, Commercial Manager, RTE Sport said that offering cut-through across all platforms under one brand is RTE’s unique offering to the market.

“Rugby World Cup remains on the home of rugby – RTE Radio and the National Dairy Council has secured powerful association with Rugby World Cup and Ireland’s warm up games, across all of RTE’s market-leading platforms.

“This partnership is a great endorsement of RTE Sport’s output and its powerful audience reach and we’re delighted to welcome the National Dairy Council on board,” he said.

The €500,000 NDC investment to promote Irish dairy this autumn also includes strong, visual use of out-of-home media such as bus supersides, national 48-sheet and 96-sheet posters; combined with national print and consumer media advertisements, the NDC said.

At this year’s National Ploughing Championships, former Irish rugby international Alan Quinlan and hurler Henry Shefflin will be at the NDC stand highlighting the ‘Win With Dairy’ campaign.

National Dairy Council stand location: Block 2, Row 24, Stand 410