Sid Lerner
Sid Lerner, the founder of Healthy Monday and a proud alumnus of Syracuse University, class of 1953, was a leader, philanthropist, and marketing savant who used the art and science of advertising to promote healthy behaviors worldwide. After a successful career as an advertising executive on the famed Madison Avenue, where he worked on iconic campaigns like “Please Don’t Squeeze the Charmin,” Sid applied his skills for crafting memorable slogans and messaging to the field of public health.
With a focus on getting research off the shelf and into action, Sid created ideas that would capture people’s attention and inspire them to adopt healthy behaviors to address the epidemic of chronic preventable diseases. In 2003, he launched Meatless Monday in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The simple, memorable idea is now adopted in over 40 countries and 22 languages, promoting healthy, sustainable eating habits globally. The movement continues to grow each year.
Sid Lerner was a strong believer in the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to addressing important policy challenges and using ‘sticky’ messaging to change behavior and achieve positive outcomes while providing public impact. We are grateful for Helaine’s continued confidence in the Maxwell School and the Lerner Center to realize her and Sid’s vision of accessible options to address public health challenges.
David M. Van Slyke, dean of Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
Soon after the launch of Meatless Monday, Sid started The Monday Campaigns, which addresses other public health challenges, including physical activity, stress management and tobacco cessation. In Sid’s words, he wanted to make Monday “the Day All Health Breaks Loose.” To amplify this message, Sid established Lerner Centers for Public Health Promotion at Syracuse, Columbia, and Johns Hopkins Universities; strengthening the research, programming, and educational efforts related to public health promotion.
Sid Lerner understood that a well-crafted message, delivered effectively, could change attitudes and behavior. He applied his legendary marketing skills to the health of populations, with passion. These efforts have been consequential and constitute a very meaningful public health legacy,
John Rowe, professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University and a member of the Board of Advisors
Sid Lerner was a true public health advocate who challenged conventional thinking and inspired many to address urgent public health problems through novel health communications strategies and evidence-based science. In 2013, he was honored for his philanthropy with the George Arents award, Syracuse University’s highest alumni honor. Sid passed away on January 12, 2021, at his home in New York City at the age of 90, but his sense of humor, creative genius, and unwavering dedication to making the world a healthier place lives on.