"Associated Press - April 24, 2008 4:45 PM ET
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett's citywide weight-loss initiative has what would seem to be an unlikely new partner.
Cornett is joining with Taco Bell in a marketing campaign touting both the company's reduced-fat menu and Cornett's challenge for city residents to shed 1 million pounds in 2008.
Taco Bell President Greg Creed joined Cornett for lunch today at a Taco Bell restaurant in northwest Oklahoma City.
Taco Bell's new Fresco Menu, which includes nine items with less than nine grams of fat, has been dubbed the "Official Menu of the Mayor's Challenge."
Life-size cardboard cutouts of the mayor, which began appearing today in Oklahoma City-area Taco Bell stores, feature the slug, "Because you can't lose 1 million lbs. by yourself."
The idea for the campaign began after officials with Irvine, Calif.-based Taco Bell learned of Cornett's initiative and contacted the mayor. '
Talk about publicity .
