23andMe, a personal genetics company, has launched Portraits of Health, the company’s first television advertising campaign. The campaign focuses on educating consumers about how understanding their DNA can help them make more informed and proactive health decisions.

 The campaign will also build brand awareness for 23andMe. The campaign features people discussing their actual 23andMe results, visualized as graphics to help illustrate what they learned about their health by exploring their DNA.

The Portraits of Health television campaign will begin with a national buy, mostly through cable networks. The company expects to spend up to $5 million in 2013 with additional investment planned for 2014.

“Our goal with this campaign is to provide consumer education and raise awareness about the potential of personal genetics, while also establishing 23andMe as a recognized and trusted brand,” said Andy Page, company president. “23andMe pioneered direct-to-consumer genetic testing and our investment in advertising also represents a first-of-its-kind TV campaign that pioneers advertising for the direct-to-consumer genetic testing industry.”

In addition to hundreds of personalized reports about an individual’s genetic risk factors for various health conditions, the company also provides reports on how a person’s DNA influences his or her response to certain medications, physical traits and information about genetic ancestry.