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The Ad Council at a Glance
You may not immediately know us by name, but you do know us. For 59 years, the Ad Council has created timely and compelling public service messages for our nation. Our slogans and characters are more than memorable - they raise awareness, inspire individuals to take action, and save lives. The following results testify to the power of the Ad Council's messages to make lasting and positive social change:
●Smokey Bear and his famous words of wisdom, "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires," are recognized by 95% of adults and 77% of children. Launched in 1944, the Smokey Bear Forest Fire Prevention campaign is one of the longest-running and famous public service advertising campaigns in history.
●Since the Ad Council began its "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk" campaign, 70% of Americans have tried to stop someone from driving drunk. In 1998, America experienced the lowest number of alcohol-related fatalities (15,935) since the U.S. Department of Transportation began maintaining these records. The tagline is the most recognized anti-drinking and driving slogan in America.
●The United Negro College Fund has been reminding Americans that "A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste," since 1972. UNCF has raised over $1.4 billion, and helped more than 300,000 minority students graduate from college.
?●Since the Crash Test Dummies, Vince and Larry, were introduced to the American public in 1985, safety belt usage has increased from 21% to 70%, saving an estimated 75,000 lives.
Since creating the category of public service advertisements (PSAs) in 1942, the Ad Council has played an increasingly critical role in our changing society. The War Advertising Council, a private, non-profit organization, was founded to rally support for World War II-related efforts. The War Ad Council produced PSA campaigns that raised $35 billion in War Bonds, encouraged the planting of 50 million Victory Gardens, reminded people that "Loose Lips Sink Ships," and recruited 2 million women into the job force through the powerful symbol, "Rosie the Riveter." After the War, the President asked the War Ad Council to continue as a peacetime public service organization to help solve the most pressing social issues of the day. Hence, the Ad Council was born.
? The Ad Council's mission is to identify a select number of significant public issues and stimulate action on those issues through communications programs that make a measurable difference in our society. To that end, the Ad Council marshals volunteer talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to create awareness, foster understanding and motivate action.
?As the nation's leading producer of PSAs, the Ad Council has created more than 1,000 public service campaigns concerning critical issues such as crime prevention and drug abuse, and has brought issues such as child abuse, recycling and AIDS to national attention. In 1995, to maximize the impact of all of the campaigns, the Ad Council's Board of Directors voted unanimously to adopt a new, ten-year initiative to help Americans who can't speak for themselves - our children. Dubbed "Commitment 2000," its objective is to raise awareness and stimulate individuals to take positive action, so that our nation's children will have a better chance of achieving their full potential.
?For the past two years the Ad Council has been frequently listed as a Top 25 Internet Advertiser, according to Nielsen/NetRatings rankings, registering approximately 11 billion impressions in 2000. The organization's Website, www.adcouncil.org, features all of the campaigns. The Ad Council's pledge is to remain committed and vigilant in establishing a foothold for public service advertising in a rapidly changing media landscape.
?Since the tragedies of September 11th, Americans have experienced profound grief and immobilizing fear that has shaken beliefs, threatened security and deepened the economic decline. The Ad Council reached out to the federal government as well as important national non-profits with an offer to create and also distribute their crisis-related messages to media outlets nationwide. These new messages are designed to inform, inspire and involve all Americans to participate in activities that will strengthen the nation and help win the war on terrorism.
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