Ad Council News/Press Releases

New National PSAs Urge Americans Age 25 - 34 to "Feed the Pig"

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:50:40 GMT

AICPA/Ad Council Campaign Advises Spending Wisely, Saving for the Future
Young Adults Sliding Deeper into Debt, AICPA Study Finds

NEW YORK, November 20, 2008- A new series of print and broadcast public service announcements urging Americans age 25 to 34 to spend wisely and save for the future rolled out today as part of Feed the Pig, a national campaign of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Advertising Council.

"People in this age group are involved in major life changes," said Carl George, chair of the National CPA Financial Literacy Commission. "They're launching careers, buying homes, getting married and having children. All these events involve major expenses, which makes saving difficult, especially in a hard economic time like the one we're now experiencing. But there are simple things they can do, such as paying more attention to how much they spend on discretionary items. Spending within your means is itself a form of saving."

The new PSAs created pro bono by VGS Creative can be viewed at the campaign website, www.feedthepig.org, which features savings tips, interactive tools and viral components. Feed the Pig additionally employs new media easily accessible to the target audience, including weekly e-mail savings tips, podcasts, text messages, and Facebook and MySpace pages for Benjamin Bankes, the campaign icon that evokes childhood memories of the traditional piggy bank.

A new study commissioned by the AICPA reveals that as a group, Americans 25 to 34 have spent years sliding deeper into debt and seeing their net worth decline.
Between 1985 and 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available, this group saw its median debt skyrocket by 44 percent. For every dollar of assets, the study found, this group is carrying 70 cents in debt, more than double the amount carried by older age groups. The report cites easy access to credit as a primary driver of this debt.

The study, conducted by Christopher Thornberg, PhD, of Beacon Economics in Los Angeles, additionally found that the median net worth for this group declined by 31 percent during the same period, a figure that excludes the value of their homes. In contrast, the median net worth for Americans 35 to 64 grew by 28 percent.

"These findings are particularly disconcerting in light of the current financial crisis," George said. "The study covers a time period before the present economic downturn, so even before the crisis, the group needed guidance on managing its finances. They have to learn to spend wisely and within their means and try to put away some of their discretionary income for the future."

The AICPA and the Ad Council originally launched the Feed the Pig in 2006. Since then, Ad Council research has shown that individuals who have seen or heard a Feed the Pig PSA are more likely to change their financial behavior for the better. For example, 37 percent of individuals who have seen or heard the PSAs say saving for their future is more important than buying things they want now versus 20 percent that have not seen or heard an ad.

"We are delighted to continue our partnership with AICPA for this second series of PSAs designed to help young adults begin saving today," said Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of the Ad Council. "This campaign has been a huge success since its launch two years ago. I am confident this new work will continue to provide Americans with the tools they need to make better financial choices for themselves and their families."

"People always think they'll start saving money at the next job or after that next raise," said Rob Slosberg, partner and creative director at VGS Creative, which designed and developed the new PSAs. "We wanted our updated campaign to get out the message 'Don't wait. You can start saving today by simply making small changes in your spending habits.'"

Feed the Pig serves as an extension of 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy (www.360financialliteracy.org), an effort by the CPA profession to educate Americans on how financial issues affect them at all life stages, beginning with childhood and extending through retirement.

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (www.aicpa.org) is the national, professional association of CPAs, with more than 350,000 CPA members in business and industry, public practice, government, education, student affiliates, and international associates. It sets ethical standards for the profession and U.S. auditing standards for audits of private companies, non-profit organizations, federal, state and local governments. It develops and grades the Uniform CPA Examination.

The AICPA maintains offices in New York, Washington, D.C., Durham, N.C., Ewing, N.J., and Lewisville, TX. Media representatives are invited to visit the AICPA Online Media Center at www.aicpa.org/mediacenter.

VGS Creative
VGS Creative is a Manhattan-caliber advertising and marketing firm, based in bucolic Westport CT, with a focus on excellent creative. They service a wide range of consumer and B-to-B clients including Nokia, Rosetta Stone, Terex, and Skip Barber Racing School. Their capabilities include Brand Identity, TV, Radio, Web Design, Print, Direct Mail, Collateral and more. They also have a foosball table. You can find out more about them at www.vgscreative.com.

The Advertising Council
The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

T Feed the Pig is a trademark of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Contacts:
Beth Costiglio
The Ad Council
212-984-1923
bcostiglio@adcouncil.org

Joel Allegretti
AICPA
212-596-6111
jallegretti@aicpa.org

Mitchell Slepian
AICPA
212-596-6177
mslepian@aicpa.org

Rob Slosberg
VGS Creative
203-226-2407
rob@vgscreative.com

Ad Council Honors GE's Jeffrey Immelt with 55th Annual Public Service Award

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:46:30 GMT

ArnoldNYC Wins Gold Bell for Creative Excellence

NEW YORK, November 20, 2008 - The Advertising Council honored Jeffrey R. Immelt, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, GE, with its 55th Annual Public Service Award at the Ad Council's annual dinner held last night at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. Fantasia, J Records recording artist and former American Idol, joined the Brooklyn Youth Choir to open the program, and NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams served as the Master of Ceremonies.

Attended by prominent members of the media, advertising and corporate communities, the dinner serves as a tribute to the industries and individuals who support the Ad Council and its public service advertising (PSA) campaigns. Chaired by Susan Gianinno, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Publicis Worldwide in the USA, and Chair of the Ad Council, the dinner is the Ad Council's largest fundraising event, raising $2.4 million this year. Platinum sponsors included Time Warner Inc. and Yahoo! Inc.

The Ad Council has been honoring corporate leaders for their commitment to public service since 1953. Previous honorees include Bob Wright, Frank Bennack, Ted Turner, Katharine Graham, Lee Iacocca, Roger Enrico, A.G. Lafley, Rick Wagoner and Ken Chenault. In keeping with tradition, this year's award was presented by last year's recipient, Richard D. Parsons, Chairman, Time Warner Inc.

"Thank you for this tremendous honor, I am proud to accept this award on behalf of GE employees around the world," said Immelt. "GE has been a partner to the Ad Council since 1946, and we have deep admiration for the organization and its creative approach to raising awareness about the most critical issues."

As Chairman & CEO of GE, Mr. Immelt has continued and expanded the global organization's commitment to public service. Under his leadership, the GE Foundation has strengthened educational access and quality for disadvantaged youth, and supported GE employee and retiree giving and involvement in communities throughout the world. In 2007, GE businesses, employees, retirees and the GE Foundation contributed more than $225 million to community and educational programs. Additionally, Mr. Immelt has continued GE's volunteerism efforts through product donations, matching gifts, grants and promoting volunteerism. The company's Volunteers Foundation partners with local charitable organizations in over 38 countries to support senior centers, children with autism, literacy for low-income communities, neglected urban spaces and many other programs.

"Jeffrey Immelt has a long and impressive record of public service in many areas that are consistent with the Ad Council's campaigns and our overall mission," according to Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of The Advertising Council. "Jeffrey is committed to the ideal that to be a great company, you also have to be good company. We believe he's one of the finest examples of an American business leader committed to giving back to the world in which his company does business."

During the dinner, the Ad Council also presented its Gold, Silver and Bronze Bells for Creative Excellence to the winning ad agencies. Awards were presented by Chairs of the Ad Council's Campaign Review Committee: Nick Law, Executive Vice President, Chief Creative Officer, R/GA, and Joyce King-Thomas, Chief Creative Officer, McCann Erickson NY. The Gold Bell went to ArnoldNYC for creating the "Think Before You Speak" campaign in partnership with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Silver and Bronze Bell winners were recognized respectively: TBWA/Chiat/Day for the Anti-Steroids campaign and Campbell-Ewald for the Fatherhood Involvement campaign. These agencies were selected from among 40 volunteer agencies that create PSAs for the Ad Council.

The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization with a rich history of marshalling volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public. Having produced literally thousands of PSA campaigns addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has effected, and continues to effect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action and saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit www.adcouncil.org.

TSA and Ad Council Launch Public Education Campaign to Build Greater Awareness of Security Procedures at Airport Checkpoints

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:55:29 GMT

Campaign debuts in time for New Security Procedures and Thanksgiving Holiday

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is joining with The Advertising Council today to launch a national public awareness and education campaign designed to build awareness of checkpoint security procedures in an effort to better prepare passengers for airport travel. The campaign launch coincides with Thanksgiving, one of the busiest travel periods of the year. More than 23 million people were screened at the nation's airports during last year's holiday.

TSA's passenger feedback shows that travelers are more willing to cooperate with airport security when they better understand the reasoning behind the measures. The new public awareness campaign aims to improve security by compelling airline passengers to become better prepared for security processes, thereby resulting in less frustration and a more positive experience. The campaign builds upon TSA's ongoing commitment to communicating why certain procedures and requirements are an important part of airport security. For example, the campaign explains why travelers are asked to remove shoes and coats, limit liquids to three ounces and show their IDs.

"TSA encourages passengers to know the rules and be prepared when they reach the security checkpoint. Your safety is the priority of our security officers and you can contribute to a smoother process at the checkpoint," said TSA Assistant Administrator for Strategic Communications and Public Affairs Ellen Howe.

Last year, the average peak wait time during the Thanksgiving holiday at all airports nationwide was 12.6 minutes, and during the winter holidays, the average peak wait time was 14 minutes. TSA is expanding its popular family lanes nationwide for families and others traveling with medically necessary liquids larger than three ounces. These lanes will be available at all airports and will provide more time for families traveling with children and other passengers who need extra assistance.

"Research shows that Americans are more willing to comply when they understand why certain security measures are in place. Therefore, we have a great opportunity to educate them on their important role in the airline security process," said Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of the Ad Council. "We are proud to join TSA in this critical effort."

Campaign activities will be conducted during the course of the year in conjunction with the nation's busiest travel times: Thanksgiving, the winter holidays and Memorial Day. The campaign will employ a series of informational videos airing in airports and online, social media strategies, as well as national radio sponsorships and public relations tactics in an effort to communicate with the travelling public during these travel periods.

All of the campaign strategies direct audiences to visit www.tsa.gov to find travel tips, local airport information, including wait times, and how to get your questions about airline security answered.

This is the first time the Ad Council has partnered with TSA on a public education effort, and TSA's first national awareness campaign. Since 2003, the Ad Council has been working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on the Ready Campaign designed to encourage all Americans to prepare for emergencies.

TSA
TSA is a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that was formed following the tragedies of September 11, 2001. TSA protects the Nation's transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce. Its 45,000 transportation security officers are responsible for airport security at more than 450 U.S. airports.

The Advertising Council
The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

Contacts:

TSA Public Affairs
571-227-2829

Ellyn Fisher
The Ad Council
212-984-1964
efisher@adcouncil.org

Ad Council, Sony Creative Software and Discovery Education Launch Inspiring Invention PSA Contest

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:48:28 GMT

Part of Multi-Year Campaign to Inspire Inventiveness in Kids, Winning Contest Entries Receive Studio Software and Hardware, along with Potential of National Television Broadcast Exposure

NEW YORK, NY - November 14, 2008 - The Advertising Council, Sony Creative Software and Discovery Education joined today to announce the "Inspiring Invention" public service advertising (PSA) development contest to engage a new generation of children in innovation. The contest is part of the Ad Council's "Inspiring Invention" campaign, sponsored by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation (NIHFF). The contest is open to school groups at the elementary, middle and high school levels nationwide. In addition to prizes including Sony video and audio production software and hardware, the winning entries will be distributed to media outlets throughout the country in spring of 2009.

The "Inspiring Invention" campaign, launched in April 2007, seeks to make inventing and developing new ideas part of American children's lives, while also introducing children to how inventions are protected though patents and trademarks. The campaign aims to primarily reach tweens (ages 8-11), with a goal of motivating these children to pursue inventing and innovating as part of their educations and, later, throughout their careers. The PSAs developed for the campaign direct children to visit www.InventNow.org to explore and discover their own innate inventiveness.

"A strong commitment to innovation is an American value that will help our youth create an even more positive and productive world," said Dave Chaimson, global vice president of marketing, Sony Creative Software. "Sony Creative Software video and audio production tools enables students to tell powerful stories about their ideas and dreams for how tomorrow's technologies will improve the quality of life for all."

Judging the Inspiring Invention PSA Contest is Dr. James West, inventor of the modern microphone and National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee, as well as members of the Ad Council's Creative Review Committee (CRC), which is comprised of some of the best creative talents in American advertising. The Ad Council's CRC is responsible for approving the strategic and creative elements of all Ad Council campaigns prior to production.

"We are delighted to partner with Sony Creative Software and Discovery Education for this wonderful contest that will help generate interest and excitement among children in exploring their creativity and learning how their ideas can lead to the technological advances of the future," said Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of the Ad Council. "This contest is an ideal extension of our Inspiring Invention PSAs and we are very grateful to Sony Creative Software and Discovery Education for generously contributing their resources for these important messages."

Entrants to the Inspiring Invention PSA Contest will submit their video in either the elementary and middle school or high school categories by March 15, 2009. Contestants are encouraged, but not required, to download a demo of Sony Creative Software's leading video editing application, Vegas Pro 8 software or Vegas Movie Studio software. Initial entries will be submitted to Sony Creative Software on DVD accompanied by a backgrounder on the production and theme. If selected as a semi-finalist, participants will then furnish broadcast-ready components for final judging. Full contest rules and regulations are available at www.inspiringinvention.org.

One grand prize winner will be chosen from each of the two categories and awarded a prize package valued at more than $22,000, featuring Sony Creative Software's professional video and audio production applications, Vegas Pro 8, Sound Forge 9, Cinescore and ACID Pro 7, as well as Sony Creative Software content including loop libraries, Sound Effects and Cinescore Themes, in addition to having the PSA aired on national television. Discovery Education, the division of Discovery Communications that combines scientifically proven, standards-based digital media and a dynamic user community to empower teachers to improve student achievement, is hosting the Inspiring Invention website. This robust website includes official competition entry forms and rules, and features downloadable teacher tools, lesson plans, project ideas, inventor biographies and more.

"We see the contest as a natural extension of the goals of the Inspiring Invention campaign," Jon Dudas, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, commented. "It will provide those who enter an opportunity to experience the reward and recognition that creativity and invention can provide while also learning and having fun."

Dr. James West added, "On behalf of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, I'm proud to be associated with this important campaign as it strives to develop the next generation of inventors and innovators. I look forward to seeing the creative ideas generated by the youth of our nation."

Since the launch of the Inspiring Invention PSA campaign, more than 85,000 children have registered on the campaign website, www.inventnow.org, and the site has had over 2.5 million sessions. Additionally, according to a 2007 Ad Council tracking study, of those tweens surveyed who were aware of the PSAs, 62 percent agree that "if kids can invent things so can I."

The Ad Council
The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization with a rich history of marshalling volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public. Having produced literally thousands of PSA campaigns addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has effected, and continues to effect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action and saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit www.adcouncil.org.

Sony Creative Software
Sony Creative Software inspires artistic expression with its award-winning line of products for digital video, music, DVD, and audio production. As a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the company also develops applications that enhance the experience for users of Sony hardware devices. Sony Creative Software customers span the globe and include seasoned professionals in the film, television, video game, and recording industries, as well as students, educators, hobbyists, and enthusiasts. For more information, visit www.sonycreativesoftware.com.

Discovery Education
Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISAD, DISBD, DISCK) revolutionized television with Discovery Channel and is now transforming classrooms through Discovery Education. Powered by the number one nonfiction media company in the world, Discovery Education combines scientifically proven, standards-based digital media and a dynamic user community in order to empower teachers to improve student achievement. Already, more than half of all U.S. schools access Discovery Education digital services. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

United States Patent and Trademark Office
Since 1790, the basic role of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has remained the same: to promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries (Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution). Today, the USPTO is a federal agency in the Department of Commerce, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. Through the issuance of patents, the USPTO encourages technological advancement by providing incentives to invent, invest in, and disclose new technology worldwide. Through the registration of trademarks, the agency assists businesses in protecting their investments, promoting goods and services, and safeguarding consumers against confusion and deception in the marketplace. By disseminating both patent and trademark information, the USPTO promotes an understanding of intellectual property protection and facilitates the development and sharing of new technologies worldwide.

National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation
The not-for-profit National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation is the premier organization in America dedicated to honoring and fostering creativity and invention. Each year a new class of inventors is inducted into the Hall of Fame in recognition of their patented inventions that make human, social, and economic progress possible. Founded in 1973 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the National Council of Intellectual Property Law Associations, the organization is headquartered in Akron, Ohio, from where it administers its national programs, including Camp Invention�, Club Invention�, and the Collegiate Inventors Competition�. For more information, visit www.invent.org.

Vegas is a trademark or registered trademark of Sony Creative Software Inc. in the United States and other countries.

The references to specific Sony products and Discovery Education in this press release do not imply endorsement or support of Sony Corporation or Discovery Education by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The USPTO makes no endorsement, express or implied, of any commercial products, nor is it responsible for the content or activities of any Sony Corporation or Discovery Education linked sites.

Contacts:

Ellyn Fisher
The Ad Council
212-984-1964
efisher@adcouncil.org

Stephen Wakefield
Discovery Education
240-662-2893
stephen_wakefield@discovery.com

Shannon McPhee
Bender/Helper Impact
310-473-4147
Shannon_mcphee@bhimpact.com

The Advertising Council, HHS' AdoptUsKids Launch New PSAS to Encourage Adoption of Teens from Foster Care

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:57:58 GMT

NEW YORK, November 14, 2008 - The Advertising Council, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and AdoptUsKids, announced today the launch of a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to raise awareness about teens who are in foster care and waiting for "forever families" to adopt them. The new PSAs are an extension of the previously successful campaign, launched in 2002, which focused on the adoption of children in foster care with the successful tag line "You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent."

According to the Administration for Children and Families, approximately 293,000 children in the United States enter the foster care system each year through no fault of their own. Currently there are 496,000 children in the foster care system in the United States. Of these, 130,000 are available for adoption. Children of color, sibling groups, and older children and teens are even more in need of adoptive homes. Approximately 42% of waiting children are ages 9 or older.

This new multimedia campaign created pro bono by kirshenbaum bond & partners is designed to communicate to prospective parents that "You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent. There are thousands of teens in foster care who would love to put up with you." The new television, radio, print and Web PSAs portray everyday situations and use humor to help prospective parents realize they have the ability to be great parents and encourage them to consider adopting a teen from foster care.

"We are proud to continue this wonderful campaign with a new series of PSAs designed to encourage the adoption of teens from the U.S. foster care system," according to Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of the Ad Council. "This campaign has had extraordinary success during the last few years and the new ads will continue the momentum."

"We are confident that this new campaign will encourage more families to consider adoption of children or youth from foster care. We believe that all children need and deserve permanent, loving families," said Kathy Ledesma, Program Director, Collaboration to AdoptUsKids.
"We hope this campaign will stir the hearts of many adults to pick up the phone and call us to learn more about children and youth in foster care and how to begin the process to adopt them."

The PSAs direct audiences to visit AdoptUsKids' comprehensive website www.adoptuskids.org or call 1-888-200-4005 for more information on adoption from foster care.

"This new set of ads is a fresh approach on a much-loved campaign and it continues to break barriers that prospective parents may have when considering adoption," said Gail Barlow, Creative Director, kirshenbaum bond & partners. "We've portrayed situations that people can relate to either from their own teenage experiences with their parents or as being parents themselves and we hope this campaign urges them to take that next step in finding out more about adoption."

Per the Ad Council model, the PSAs will run and air in advertising time and space that is donated by the media.

The Administration for Children and Families
Within HHS, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is the agency that is responsible for Federal programs that promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities. The Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) administers national programs for children and youth; works with States, Tribes, and local communities to develop services that support and strengthen family life; seeks joint ventures with the private sector to enhance the lives of children and their families; and provides information and other assistance to parents. Many of the programs administered by ACYF focus on children from low-income families; abused and neglected children; children and youth in need of foster care, independent living, adoption or other child welfare services; preschool children; children with disabilities; runaway and homeless youth; and children from Native American and migrant families.

AdoptUsKids
AdoptUsKids is a multi-faceted, federally funded project whose mission is to recruit and connect foster and adoptive families with waiting children throughout the United States. The project is managed through a cooperative agreement with the Children's Bureau of the Administration of Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services.

kirshenbaum bond + partners
kirshenbaum bond + partners is a network of marketing communications specialty companies founded by Richard Kirshenbaum and Jon Bond, including kirshenbaum bond, Dotglu, LIME public relations + promotion, The Media Kitchen, and Open Mind Strategy. Founded in 1987, kirshenbaum bond + partners has since grown to include over 300 employees and combined billings of over $700 million. kbp is wholly owned by MDC Partners, Inc., in Toronto.

Clients include Wendy�s, Panasonic, Avon, BMW, Starz Entertainment, KAO Brands (Jergens, Biore, Ban, John Frieda, Curel), Limited Brands, Berkshire Hathaway/NetJets, Windstream Communications, Diageo, Delta, CIT, Edward Jones, Mohegan Sun, Wyndam Hotels & Resorts, and Fruit2Day.

The Advertising Council
The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

Contacts:

Beth Shanley
The Ad Council
212-984-1923
bshanley@adcouncil.org

Kathy Ledesma
AdoptUsKids
410-933-5700
kledesma@adoptuskids.org

Jennifer Landers
kirshenbaum bond + partners
212-337-4738
jlanders@kb.com

IAVA and Ad Council Launch National PSA Campaign for Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:41:27 GMT

In Time for Veterans Day, Campaign Directs Veterans to the First and Only Online Community Created Exclusively for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans

In an effort to help ease the transition and readjustment challenges facing Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in their return home, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) joined with the Ad Council today to launch a national multimedia public service advertising (PSA) campaign. The campaign directs veterans to the first and only community exclusive to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans through a new social networking website, www.CommunityofVeterans.org, where they can listen, share their experiences and access resources. The PSAs are being distributed to media outlets nationwide this week to coincide with Veterans Day (November 11).

The campaign aims to address the mental health consequences of combat, which threaten to overwhelm a new generation of veterans. The 1.7 million men and women who have served, or are currently serving, in Iraq and Afghanistan are facing an increased risk of mental health issues. Nearly 20 percent of military servicemembers who have returned - 300,000 in all - report symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression, yet only slightly more than half have sought treatment, according to a RAND Corporation study released in April 2008. Untreated mental health conditions can cause or aggravate other debilitating problems in the veterans' community including high rates of unemployment, suicide, homelessness, substance abuse, divorce and child abuse.

Created pro bono by ad agency BBDO New York, the campaign seeks to increase the number of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who seek treatment for mental health issues by connecting them with other veterans with whom they can discuss the issues they face as they readjust to civilian life. The campaign includes television, radio, print, outdoor and Web advertising. The TV spots feature Iraq veterans who are Purple Heart recipients.

The ads direct audiences to a comprehensive new website, www.communityofveterans.org, designed for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. The site provides a range of information that can help with their transitional and readjustment issues, including a searchable database of national and local resources on topics such as jobs, education and health. A private online community exclusive to these veterans will foster connections among veterans and allow them to communicate with each other. The website and private community were developed by BarkleyREI.

"IAVA is thrilled to launch such a historic campaign to ease the readjustment for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. Less than 1 percent of the U.S. population has served in the current conflicts and it's critical that returning troops are able to connect with people who understand what they've been through. The PSAs and groundbreaking social networking site will go a long way toward helping these heroes readjust," said Paul Rieckhoff, Executive Director, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. "IAVA is grateful to the Ad Council and BBDO for their extraordinary commitment to our country's newest generation of servicemembers. Together, we're turning the page on how veterans were treated after Vietnam."

More than 60 percent ofAmericans say that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan "never," "hardly ever" or "sometimes" have an impact on their daily lives, according to a survey released today by IAVA and the Ad Council. Additionally, when Americans hear the word "veteran," only 2 percent said they think of Iraq veterans and zero referenced those serving in Afghanistan. While veterans of World War II represented 12 percent of the U.S. population, less than 1 percent of the current population has served in Iraq and Afghanistan. This contributes to the isolation they feel once they are home and makes connecting with other veterans challenging.

"We are very proud to join with IAVA on this critical campaign designed to support the men and women who have served our country in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of the Ad Council. "Our new campaign will shed light on the reajdustment challenges facing today's veterans and help initiate a much-needed dialogue among veterans, their families and the general public."

Most Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are married, and 700,000 children in America have had at least one parent deployed during the conflicts. It is therefore a conservative estimate to predict that those immediately affected by these wars will number at least three million people. More than 60 percent of these veterans are under the age of 30. Many veterans avoid seeking help because of the stigma around seeking treatment or being diagnosed with a mental illness. Those who have received help often cite their family as the catalyst; however, most families don't know how to broach the subject constructively.

The Ad Council and IAVA will launch a complementary PSA effort in the coming months to engage the families and loved ones of these veterans, emphasizing to them the importance of their role in the process in beginning a discussion with their veterans about the mental health issues they may face. The PSAs direct audiences to a second website to learn how to start a constructive dialogue with the veterans in their lives.

"When the Ad Council first approached BBDO about working on IAVA we knew immediately that this was an effort we wanted to be a part of," said Don Schneider, Executive Creative Director, BBDO New York. "We were honored not only to be chosen to work on this campaign, but with the veterans and families who inspired us and helped bring this campaign to life."

The new PSAs and websites have been researched extensively and tested with veterans, their families and the general market. The ads are being distributed to approximately 33,000 media outlets nationwide. Per the Ad Council's model, all of the ads will air and run in advertising time and space donated by the media. MTV has made an early commitment to support the new campaign through primetime content and on their social media channel, ThinkMTV. Additionally, AOL has donated their resources to design the campaign's Web banners and has made a commitment along with Google to support the ads on Veterans Day and in the coming months. Launch activities will continue throughout the year. IAVA's members will also help extend raise awareness of the campaign in communities nationwide.

Furthermore, beginning this week, an integrated social media program will extend the reach of the campaign on popular social networking sites and blogs targeted to service members and their families. The Society for New Communications Research (www.sncr.org), a non-profit foundation focused on new media and communications, will lend its expertise and resources to the campaign. SNCR's Research Fellows and Vendor Council member Visible Technologies (www.visibletechnologies.com) will donate their time and technology to analyze and measure the effectiveness of the campaign and its online components.

BBDO
BBDO Worldwide is part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com). In 2008, BBDO was named Network of the Year at the International Advertising Festival in Cannes AND winner of The Gunn Report as the most awarded agency network in the world for the second year in a row. BBDO was also chosen Advertising Network of the Year by Campaign magazine for the second time in the past three years. To top it off, BBDO was ranked #1 by The Big Won as the most awarded global agency network across every marketing communications discipline ranging from above-the-line to below-the-line, online and offline.

IAVA
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) is the nation's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan group for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Founded in 2004, IAVA has more than 125,000 active veteran members and civilian supporters in all 50 states. Its mission is to improve the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families. For more information, visit www.iava.org.

SNCR
The Society for New Communications Research is a nonprofit global think tank dedicated to the advanced study of new communications tools, technologies and emerging modes of communication, and their effect on traditional media, professional communications, business and society. For more information, visit http://sncr.org.

The Advertising Council
The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

Contacts:
Chrissy Stevens
IAVA
212-982-9699
chrissy@iava.org

Jocelyn Weiss
BBDO New York
212-459-5393
jocelyn.weiss@bbdo.com

Ellyn Fisher
The Ad Council
212-984-1964
efisher@adcouncil.org

GLSEN and Ad Council Launch First Campaign to Address Anti-Gay Language Among Teens

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:42:27 GMT

National PSA Campaign Features actress Hilary Duff and Comedian Wanda Sykes
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) joined with The Advertising Council today to launch the first national multimedia public service advertising (PSA) campaign designed to address the use of anti-gay language among teens. The campaign launch coincides with the release of GLSEN's 2007 National School Climate Survey, which found that nearly nine in ten lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) teens report having been verbally harassed in the past school year, and almost half have been physically harassed because of their sexual orientation.

The campaign will be unveiled Friday by actress Hilary Duff, who stars in one of the new television PSAs, at GLSEN's annual Respect Awards - Los Angeles gala. Comedian Wanda Sykes appears in another TV spot created for the campaign.

LGBT teens in the U.S. experience homophobic remarks and harassment throughout the school day, creating an atmosphere where they feel disrespected, unwanted and unsafe. GLSEN's new survey found that three-quarters of LGBT teens hear slurs such as "faggot" or "dyke" frequently or often at school, and nine in ten reports hearing anti-LGBT language frequently or often. Homophobic remarks such as "that's so gay" are the most commonly heard type of biased remarks at school. Research shows that these slurs are often unintentional and are a part of teens' vernacular. Most do not recognize the consequences, but the casual use of this language often carries over into more overt harassment.

The new campaign aims to raise awareness among straight teens about the prevalence and consequences of anti-LGBT bias and behavior in America's schools. Ultimately, the goal is to reduce and prevent the use of homophobic language in an effort to create a more positive environment for LGBT teens. The campaign also aims to reach adults, including school personnel and parents, because their support of this message is crucial to the success of efforts to change behavior among the target age group.

"We are proud to partner with the Ad Council on this groundbreaking campaign to address anti-LGBT language," said GLSEN Founder and Executive Director Kevin Jennings. "Every student has a right to feel safe in school free from bullying and harassment. When students do not feel safe, they struggle to learn. This campaign will help educate young people about the harmful language many of them commonly use."

Created pro bono by ad agency ArnoldNYC, the campaign includes television, radio, print, outdoor and Web advertising. The TV ads feature scenarios in which the term "that's so gay" is used casually in an effort to help teens recognize that their anti-LGBT language is harmful. The ads conclude with Wanda Sykes in one TV spot, and Hilary Duff in another, urging teens to "knock it off." The campaign hopes to motivate teens to become allies in the efforts to raise awareness, stop using anti-LGBT language, and safely intervene when they are present and anti-LGBT harassment and behavior occurs. The PSAs direct audiences to visit a new comprehensive website, www.ThinkB4YouSpeak.com.

"We are proud to join with GLSEN on this very important campaign, the first to address the common use of anti-LGBT language and its harmful effects," said Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of the Ad Council. "When we tested the new ads with teens, they found the approach to be realistic and identifiable. I believe this campaign will open their eyes to the dangers of using this language and, ultimately, create a safer environment for LGBT students."

"We have a responsibility as communicators to help inform a very prevalent behavior that most teens have never thought twice about, and then leave it up to them to do the right thing," said John Staffen, Chief Creative Officer, ArnoldNYC.

The website, www.ThinkB4YouSpeak.com, provides tips on how to support LGBT issues and the opportunity for visitors to take a stand against anti-LGBT language through an interactive pledge form that will allow teens to "say something original," by sharing alternatives to "that's so gay." The site also includes a dictionary-type tool that illustrates a word's meaning and the notion of understanding one's choice of words. Additional features include an e-card and a video library that calls for user submissions.

The new ads are being distributed to approximately 33,000 media stations nationwide this week. Per the Ad Council's donated media model, all of the new ads will air and run in advertising time and space donated by the media. Media companies, including MTV (Music Television), have made early commitments to support the campaign.

Beginning this week, an integrated social media program will further the reach of the public service messages on popular social networking sites and blogs targeted to teens. Partnerships with Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) will also engage students in chapters and student clubs throughout the country. Launch activities will continue next week to coincide with National Ally Week (October 13 - 17), a week that focuses on encouraging "allies" to sign a pledge to help stop bullying and harassment of LGBT teens.

GLSEN's National School Climate Survey is the only national survey to document the experiences of students who identify as LGBT in America's secondary schools and has been conducted biennially since 1999. This year's survey includes responses from 6,209 LGBT students between the ages of 13 and 21 from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

ArnoldNYC
ArnoldNYC is a nimble, full service, untraditional creative agency focused on building big ideas that lead to strong business results for brands like Hershey's, Timex, Lee, TUMS, alli, Nicorette and USTA. ArnoldNYC is owned by Havas (Nasdaq: HAVS) and is one of the lead mid-sized agencies in the New York market. ArnoldNYC prides itself on creating great work that works, as well as hours of impressive inter-office ping-pong.

GLSEN
GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established nationally in 1995, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. For more information on GLSEN's educational resources, public policy agenda, student organizing programs, research, public education or development initiatives, visit www.glsen.org.

The Advertising Council
The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

CONTACT:

Daryl Presgraves
GLSEN
646-388-6577
dpresgraves@glsen.org

Tara Garcia
ArnoldNYC
212-463-1421
tgarcia@arn.com

Tom Chiodo
Rubenstein
212-843-8289
tchiodo@rubenstein.com

Ellyn Fisher
The Ad Council
212-984-1964
efisher@adcouncil.org

Ad Council and Deep Focus Kick off Social Media Initiative

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:49:38 GMT

Exponential Action Network Encourages Social Responsibility Through Social Media

The Advertising Council, the leading producer of public service advertisements (PSAs) in the United States, joined today with Deep Focus, a thought-leading interactive marketing agency and consultancy, to announce a new initiative that will integrate the latest technology and social media strategies in promoting the Ad Council's national public service campaigns. Ian Schafer, Deep Focus Founder and CEO, will unveil the program this afternoon at Advertising Week's Panasonic Ideas for Life "Social Media: Giving Voices to Social Causes" seminar presented by the Ad Council and Google.

Through the Exponential Action Network (EAN) initiative, users will be presented with a list of participating Ad Council causes and be prompted to choose as many as they would like to support. Each selection will generate an individual widget that can be prominently displayed on the user's social networking profile, blog, wiki and personal homepages. Each widget will track and display in real-time the size of its exponentially growing support network, acting as further encouragement for users to recruit their friends to join. The widgets will feature the Ad Council's existing PSAs and other campaign components, including television ads, brochures and links to websites, and encourage multiple viewings and interest around these communities through live updates of their growth.

"This wonderful initiative will transform how we're interacting with our campaigns' target audiences online," said Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of the Ad Council. "We are very grateful to Deep Focus for generously developing this program, which will benefit our many important social issues by further engaging audiences in the messages and creating consumer champions for our causes."

Social networking and user-generated content websites currently account for 12 percent of all traffic on the Internet, which is an increase of 686 percent from two years ago, according to eMarketer 2007. Two out of every three individuals online visit social networking sites and there are currently more than 70 million blogs. Developed pro bono by Deep Focus, the EAN will enable the Ad Council to tap into the people-powered peer-to-peer communications created by online social networks to promote their causes through a series of new applications, or widgets.

"The EAN allows for a shareable, portable, and customized user experience that promotes the idea of enabling advocacy and social responsibility through social media," said Schafer. "These customizable widgets serve as a means to educate, inspire, and provide audiences with the information and tools they need to change behavior and encourage others to do the same."

The Ad Council's campaigns are targeted to Americans of all ages and each is sponsored by a national non-profit organization or federal government agency. More than 40 campaigns are participating in the EAN initiative, including Autism Awareness (Autism Speaks), Financial Literacy (U.S. Department of Treasury), Mentoring (Big Brothers Big Sisters of America), Obesity Prevention (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), Online Sexual Exploitation (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and U.S. Department of Justice) and Youth Reckless Driving Prevention (State Consumer Protection Agencies and Attorneys General Offices).

"There's been a dramatic increase in autism awareness because of our Ad Council campaign and we know this new tool will help us get our message out even more widely," said Alison Singer, Executive Vice President of Autism Speaks. "As soon as we heard about this project we knew a widget would be a perfect way to help more parents learn the early warning signs of autism."

The Ad Council and Deep Focus are working with leading social media partners to promote the EAN initiative. Clearspring's widget distribution technology is being used to power the widgets, and MySpace, Facebook and many of the most popular social media properties have already committed their support via millions of donated ad impressions. Deep Focus will produce a series of online ads to promote the effort. Ad Council campaign sponsors will also share their widgets on their websites, newsletters and other materials. Furthermore, the Ad Council's website (www.adcouncil.org) will serve as a hub, providing a simple distribution point for the widgets.

Deep Focus
Founded in 2002, Deep Focus, Inc. is a fully independent interactive marketing agency that creates, promotes, and distributes shared, positive experiences that bring consumers closer to brands - and each other. Deep Focus delivers a holistic combination of strategic and creative services, technology development, media planning and buying, public relations and community management. Recognized as an industry leader in Social Media, Deep Focus was OMMA Magazine's 2007 Media Planning & Buying Agency of the Year, and a winner of a Cannes Lion. Deep Focus is headquartered in New York City.

The Advertising Council
The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

Contacts:
Ellyn Fisher
The Ad Council
212-984-1964
efisher@adcouncil.org

Christian Borges
Deep Focus
212-792-6826
cborges@deep-focus.net

Ad Council and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Launch New PSAs to Promote the LATCH System

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:59:50 GMT

New York, NY -September 18, 2008- The Advertising Council, in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced today the launch of new public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to raise awareness of the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system. The LATCH system was developed to make it easier for parents to correctly install child safety seats into vehicles.

According to NHTSA, 3 out of 4 kids are not as secure in the car as they could be because their car seats are not used correctly. Additionally, 40 percent of parents still rely on the vehicles' seat belts when installing their car seat rather than using LATCH. Furthermore, only 55 percent report using the upper tether, which provides additional attachment of the child safety seat to the vehicle and has been shown to reduce forward movement of the child's head, minimizing risk of head impact

The PSAs, part of the Ad Council's longstanding occupant protection education campaign with NHTSA, educate parents and caregivers about what the LATCH system is and the safety benefits it provides for your children. Created pro bono by The Richards Group, the new PSAs are designed to raise awareness among all parents and caregivers, about the importance of securing their child properly in their car seats. Additionally NHTSA and the Ad Council have collaborated with The Baby Einstein Company on a complementary campaign, including TV and outdoor PSAs, which feature music and favorite characters from Baby Einstein T, designed to educate a new generation of parents on the LATCH system. The ads direct viewers to www.safercar.gov for more information.

"Informed parents and caregivers are the first line of defense for our youngest passengers traveling on our nation's roads," said NHTSA Acting Administrator David Kelly. "LATCH is an effective way to keep children restrained in a vehicle and safe in the event of a crash."

The campaign, which features television, radio, print, outdoor and online PSAs, including Spanish-language advertising, will be distributed to media outlets nationwide this month. Per the Ad Council's model, the PSAs will appear in advertising time and space donated by the media.

"We really enjoy working with the Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation," said David Canright, Creative Group Head, The Richards Group. "We are able to do great work that is engaging as well as endearing. But best of all, it may save lives in the process. There's no better feeling than that."

"The Ad Council is thrilled to partner with Baby Einstein and NHTSA in our continuing effort to save lives with our Occupant Protection Education campaign," said Peggy Conlon, President and CEO, the Ad Council. "We believe that these compelling PSAs will help educate parents that the LATCH system should be a necessity when securing children into their car seats."

NHTSA

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The agency's mission is to save lives, prevent injuries and reduce economic costs due to road traffic crashes. NHTSA provides leadership to the motor vehicle and highway safety community through education, research, safety standards and enforcement activity. For additional information visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov

The Richards Group

The Richards Group, located in Dallas, is the largest independent branding agency in the nation. Agency clients include the standard-setting brands of Advance Auto Parts, Amstel Light, Bridgestone Firestone, Chick-fil-A, Fruit of the Loom, The Home Depot, Motel 6, Orkin, Patr�n, Red Lobster and Zales. Total billings for the agency were $1.25 billion in 2007. The Richards Group can be found at www.richards.com

The Baby Einstein Company

The Baby Einstein Company, LLC, is the award-winning creator of the infant media category. The company is famous for its best-selling Baby Einstein brand of DVDs, books, music CDs and toys specifically designed for babies and toddlers, from birth to 2 years old. Little EinsteinsT, which debuted in 2005, is the company's newest venture, specifically created for the preschool market. Headquartered in Glendale, CA, The Baby Einstein Company is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. For more information, visit www.BabyEinstein.com or www.LittleEinsteins.com.

The Advertising Council

The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

Contacts:
The Ad Council:
Beth Shanley, 212-984-1923, bshanley@adcouncil.org
NHTSA:
Karen Aldana, 202-366-9550, Karen.aldana@dot.gov

United States Department of Treasury and The Advertising Council Unveil National PSA Campaign to Encourage 18-24 Year Olds to Control Their Credit

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:16:09 GMT

NEW YORK, September 16, 2008- The Advertising Council, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Treasury, announced today the launch of a new public service advertising (PSA) campaign designed to encourage young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 to take control of their credit and personal finances.

According to a study conducted by Sallie Mae, more than 50 percent of college students accumulate more than $5,000 in credit card debt while in school. Additionally, Capital One reported that only 10 percent of high schools in America teach financial management and 75 percent of graduating seniors do not understand basic investment principles.

Created pro bono by Lowe Worldwide, the campaign helps 18-24 year olds to overcome the intimidation of debt and financial illiteracy. The PSAs teach young adults to think twice before spontaneously spending as a key step to building a solid financial future. The takeaway is that overspending costs more than one may think: it can cost someone their job, their apartment, their car, or cause public embarrassment.

This campaign includes television, radio and web banner advertising. All of the PSAs end with the tagline "Don't let your credit put you in a bad place" and directs the audience to a new website, www.controlyourcredit.gov where they can play an interactive game to explain the importance of having a good credit score and find free financial information on credit and debt management.

"When we are able to finance things like a home, a car, or a college education, credit can help us bring our dreams within reach," said Dan Iannicola, Jr., Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary for Financial Education. "But as we see in the headlines, those dreams can become financial nightmares if we don't manage that credit carefully and wisely. We hope this campaign will meet a critical need, educating young adults on the importance of responsible, informed borrowing."

"We are delighted to join the Department of Treasury and Lowe Worldwide on this new, important and engaging campaign to encourage young Americans to think before swiping because bad credit has serious short and long-term consequences," said Peggy Conlon, President and CEO, the Ad Council. "We're confident that these PSAs have the power to inspire Americans to take small steps to manage their finances."

"Our team was thrilled to develop the advertising for this campaign," said Mark Wnek, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, Lowe New York. "Our goal is that the work will demonstrate to young adults that their current financial choices will affect their futures and therefore, they need to start considering the consequences of their everyday decisions."

Per the Ad Council model, the PSAs will run and air in advertising time and space that is donated by the media.

Lowe New York
Lowe Worldwide is an interconnected global community of marketing agencies. Its client roster includes Unilever, Saab, Johnson & Johnson, Nestle and Stella Artois. The agency is founded on the belief that the greatest service it can render its clients is High Value Ideas coupled with Problem Biased Thinking. Lowe is a member of Interpublic Group (NYSE:IPG), one of the world's leading organizations of advertising agencies and marketing services companies. Lowe New York is one of the cornerstones of Lowe Worldwide with a client roster including Milk, Perdue, XM, Sharp and more. www.loweny.com

The Advertising Council
The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

Contact:
Beth Shanley
The Ad Council
212-984-1923
bshanley@adcouncil.org

Sal Taibi
President
Lowe New York
212-605-8750

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Joins Ad Council, NBA, and Boys & Girls Clubs of America to Tip off National Obesity Prevention Contest on YouTube�

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:42:24 GMT

NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas encourages Americans to submit videos showing their peers the importance of taking "small steps" to get healthy

New York, NY (September 12, 2008) - The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) joined today with The Advertising Council, the National Basketball Association (NBA), and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) to tip off a national user-generated video contest on behalf of HHS' and the Ad Council's Small Steps Obesity Prevention public service advertising campaign. Hosted on YouTube, the contest aims to encourage teens and young adults ages 14-24 to submit original videos demonstrating the power of taking small steps to get healthy.

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt and NBA All-Star and Washington Wizards' point guard Gilbert Arenas will announce the winner in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America in Washington, D.C., at the end of October.

"Small changes to your eating and exercise routines can result in big successes. The message is simple but compelling," Secretary Leavitt said. "This contest provides an opportunity for young adults to inspire others to make small steps toward a healthier life."

Over the next four weeks, young Americans will be encouraged to create and submit videos illustrating the benefits of taking small steps to get healthy, including physical activity and good eating habits. Submissions will be accepted until Oct. 7, after which contestants are encouraged to share their video entries with their peers. The 10 videos that receive the most views on YouTube between Oct. 8 and Oct. 28 will be judged by a panel comprised of advertising professionals, health officials, BGCA representatives and the NBA's Arenas. The panel will choose the grand prize winner.

One Grand Prize winner will receive $2,500 in cash and prizes to NBAStore.com. Four runners-up will receive $500 toward NBA merchandise and athletic gear.

According to HHS' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese. The percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980, with more than 10 million school-age children currently considered overweight.

"This contest is a wonderful opportunity to engage teens and young adults throughout the country in the important messages communicated in our campaign," said Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of the Ad Council. "We are grateful to the NBA for donating the prizes and using their valuable inventory to promote the contest among their fans, an ideal demographic for our messages."

The Ad Council, HHS, NBA and BGCA will promote the contest in their newsletters, on their websites and through their marketing channels. The NBA will encourage participation in the contest through on-air announcements during NBA games on TNT and TBS, as well as in-store and online promotions as part of its NBA FIT initiative, a league-wide, comprehensive health and wellness platform that encourages proper eating habits and promotes exercise to children and young adults. As a member of the NBA FIT team, Arenas will serve as one of the contest's featured spokespersons and encourage kids to get involved.

"As an athlete, I know how important both exercise and nutrition are to my everyday performance," said Arenas. "This contest is a great way to get young people across the country to show that they are up to the challenge of telling us just how important regular exercise and maintaining a healthy diet are to them and how creative they can be in fitting it into their daily lives."

Boys & Girls Clubs of America will enlist its local Clubs throughout the country to drive interest in the Small Steps Video Contest and support video submissions from children in the communities they serve. The Ad Council has also developed a promotional video, as well as a series of Web banners, which will run in donated space on websites frequented by the target audience. Additionally, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) will promote the contest among its chapters in high schools throughout the country and an integrated social media program will encourage submissions on popular social networking sites and blogs.

"Obesity has become a major public health concern in the United States, and we agree that by teaching young people the importance of making small steps in developing healthy and active lifestyles, we can start to move the needle and help curb this epidemic," said Romero Brown, vice president of Programs & Youth Development Services for BGCA. "As the largest youth serving organization, Boys & Girls Clubs of America is proud to participate in this Small Steps initiative."

Participants will register through a mini-site featured on the campaign's website, www.smallstep.gov. Videos can be created using video phones, digital cameras with video abilities, video cameras or any other video recording device. Judging will be based on creativity, entertainment value, and appropriateness to theme. All submitted videos will be hosted on You Tube. Winning videos will be featured on www.smallstep.gov for a minimum of two months after the competition, and may have their small steps added to HHS' list of small steps at http://www.smallstep.gov/take_small_steps_today.html.

The "Small Steps" Obesity Prevention Campaign first launched in March 2004. The Ad Council also developed the Coalition for Healthy Children to help address the obesity crisis by providing consistent, research-based messages to children and parents on the importance of practicing a healthier lifestyle. The NBA and Boys & Girls Clubs of America are members of the coalition, which harnesses the combined strengths of marketers, media companies, non-profit groups and government agencies. For more information about the coalition, visit www.HealthyChildrenCoalition.org.

NBA FIT
In February 2007, the NBA launched the NBA FIT Program (www.nba.com/nba_cares/smallsteps_contest.html), a league-wide, comprehensive health and wellness platform that encourages proper eating habits and promotes exercise to children and young adults. For this initiative, NBA Cares has partnered with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, collaboration between the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association, to engage in outreach and program activities that will reverse the trend of childhood obesity in America.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) has been changing and saving young lives, providing hope and opportunity for kids who need them most. Today, some 4,300 Clubs serve some 4.8 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Known as The Positive Place for Kids, Boys & Girls Clubs can be found all across the country and on U.S. military bases throughout the world. Clubs provide young people 6-18 years old with guidance-oriented character development programs conducted by trained, professional staff. In communities large and small, Clubs positively impact lives and help young people reach their full potential as productive, caring citizens. Key Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize leadership development; education and career exploration; community service; financial literacy; health and life skills; the arts; sports, fitness and recreation; and family outreach. In a recent Harris Survey of Club alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their life. National headquarters are located in Atlanta.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (www.hhs.gov) is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. The department includes more than 300 programs, covering a wide spectrum of activities, including health and social science research, preventing disease, including immunization services, assuring food and drug safety, and administering Medicare and Medicaid.

The Advertising Council
The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

Contact:
Ellyn Fisher
The Ad Council
212-984-1964
efisher@adcouncil.org

Jon Hammond
NBA
212-407-8671
jhammond@nba.com

HHS Press Office
202-690-6343

The Advertising Council and U.S. Department of Energy Launch New PSAs to Help Create an Energy Ethic for Future Generations

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:55:41 GMT

NEW YORK, September 12, 2008 - The Advertising Council and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the launch of a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to educate tweens ages 8-12 about the importance of energy efficiency.

In a February 2008 national survey of kids ages 8-12, 85 percent of respondents believed that they could lead their family to do what is needed to consume less energy in the home. The new campaign entitled "What's Your Excuse?" highlights the simplicity of making energy efficient changes in the home and asks kids to join millions of others to make a difference by using their energy wisely.

"By using energy wisely, every American can tap the cheapest, most abundant, and most reliable source of new energy available: the energy that we waste everyday," Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman said. "This campaign is a call to action for America's youth-I hope that it will inform and inspire them to make simple, smart energy decisions that will help reduce our growing energy demand."

Energy use is on the rise around the world. By 2030, global energy demand is expected to increase 50 percent above 2005 levels, with electricity demand alone in the U.S projected to rise 29 percent over the same period. Increasing demand requires additional supplies to keep costs low, ensure reliability, and reduce America's dependence on foreign energy sources. At the same time, this growing demand must be addressed in the context of global climate change. Consumers can make a significant difference on all these fronts by reducing demand through simple energy efficiency measures. For example, households that install energy-saving bulbs can cut energy used for lighting by more than 80 percent.

Created pro bono by Goodby, Silverstein and Partners, the new TV, radio, outdoor and web advertising encourages kids to use their energy wisely with an Energy Action Plan, a simple 10-step action list to help encourage better energy use in the home. The PSAs direct viewers to a new interactive website www.loseyourexcuse.gov where they can learn fun, simple tips on energy efficient behaviors and new technological advances to reduce energy consumption in the home.

"We are thrilled to partner with DOE and Goodby on this campaign to encourage tweens to practice good energy-saving activities with their parents in order to make their homes more energy efficient," according to Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of The Advertising Council.

"The 'What's Your Excuse' campaign points out a simple truth: it's not that hard to save energy at home," said Nick Prout, copywriter from Goodby, Silverstein & Partners. "From installing an energy saving light bulb, to unplugging a charger, to turning off a light or entertainment device when we leave a room, many actions take only a few seconds. And when we start to think about energy efficiency in those terms, and consider that everything adds up, we can't help but arrive at the conclusion that there's really no excuse not to be more conscientious."

A second series of PSAs, including TV, online, and outdoor were developed in collaboration with the Ad Council and feature characters from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment's new DVD and Blu-RayTM release Tinker Bell. They are designed to educate 8-9 year olds on positive energy efficient habits. The PSAs drive kids to visit www.energy.gov/tink.

Per the Ad Council model, the PSAs will be distributed to media outlets nationwide this week and will run and air in advertising time and space that is donated by the media.

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
The U.S. Department of Energy stands at the forefront of the United States' effort to meet energy and environment, scientific, and national security goals. DOE works to meet growing energy demand with clean, safe, affordable, reliable and diverse supplies of energy through scientific discovery and investments with partners to push new technology rapidly into the marketplace. Among many other roles, the Department also supports American economic growth by promoting energy efficiency practices in homes, businesses and the nation's industrial complex. Since 2001, DOE and other federal agencies have provided nearly $18 billion in funding to research, develop, and promote alternative energy technologies that help to improve America's energy security.

WALT DISNEY STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, a recognized leader in the home entertainment industry, is the marketing, sales and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax and Buena Vista product, which includes DVD, Blu-ray DiscT and electronic distribution. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is a division of The Walt Disney Studios.

GOODBY, SILVERSTEIN & PARTNERS
Goodby, Silverstein & Partners is a full-service advertising agency, founded in 1983, with the simple aim of producing the world's best advertising (as recognized by its industry peers in terms of the distinctiveness of its work and by its effectiveness in the marketplace). Located in San Francisco, GS&P handles over two billion dollars in billings for clients including Hewlett-Packard, Comcast, Sprint, Hyundai, Adobe, Anheuser-Busch, Haagen-Dazs, Elizabeth Arden, Frito-Lay, and the California Fluid Milk Processors Advisory Board ("got milk?").

THE ADVERTISING COUNCIL
The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

Contact:
Beth Shanley
The Ad Council
212-984-1923
bshanley@adcouncil.org

Phil West
U.S. Department of Energy
202-586-4940
Phil.West@hq.doe.gov

Christine O'Donnell
Goodby, Silverstein & Partners
415-955-6222
christine_odonnell@gspsf.com

The Advertising Council and The National Fair Housing Alliance Launch New PSAs to Address Predatory Lending

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:24:33 GMT

NEW YORK, September 10, 2008 - The Advertising Council, in partnership with the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA), announced today the launch of a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to teach consumers how to recognize predatory lending before it occurs, and how to avoid becoming a victim.

Predatory lending is the practice of unfair, unethical and in some instances illegal lending practices designed specifically to deceive unsuspecting homeowners who have equity in their homes and are thinking of refinancing. Predatory lending practices can also effect home purchasers. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, predatory lending is a growing problem in today's society. Additionally, according to research conducted by the Wall Street Journal and Fannie Mae, in some years, more than 50 percent of consumers who received high-cost subprime loans could have qualified for a lower-cost prime loan.

Created pro bono by Target Smarts, the radio, out-of-home and web banner PSAs primarily target groups most at risk of losing their homes through predatory lending, including African Americans and Hispanic homeowners who need to refinance out of a problematic loan and first-time home buyers. The campaign equips consumers with the right questions to ask their lenders in order to protect themselves from abusive practices. Consumers will be empowered to select the best and most suitable financial option available to them.

The PSAs encourage consumers to call 1-866-222-FAIR or visit www.QuestionsProtect.org for information about how to avoid falling prey to predatory lenders and to learn the essential questions to ask a lender.

To view the PSAs please visit QuestionsProtect.org.

"I am confident that these new PSAs will shed light on the growing problem of predatory lending in our communities," states Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of The Advertising Council. "We are proud to continue our partnership with NFHA and Target Smarts to help victims recognize and report incidents of predatory lending so we can ensure the rights of all Americans."

"Many people erroneously believe that, because the subprime market is diminished, predatory lending is a thing of the past" states Shanna Smith, President & CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance. "Nothing could be further from the truth. Predatory practices still occur and they can happen even in the prime market. When consumers are not aware of their true risk and the lending options available to them, they can be taken advantage of. While no consumer should be expected to become a lending expert in order to get a fair loan, knowing the right questions to ask will certainly put consumers in a position to get the best loan available to them."

"The mortgage process is complex and can be scary. Add to that the pressure felt by those who are anxious to refinance and it isn't surprising that many don't feel in control and are vulnerable to abuse," said Angela Walker Campbell, Chief Creative Partner at Target Smarts. "We leveraged this insight, and others, to create a campaign that provides an incredibly simple, readily accessible means of protection - asking questions - and gives critical control back to the consumer. Even now, predatory lenders are still quite active. We're thrilled to be apart of an effort that has the potential to curb the number of new victims."

Per the Ad Council model, the PSAs will be distributed to media outlets nationwide and will run and air in advertising time and space that is donated by the media.

NFHA
Founded in 1988, the National Fair Housing Alliance is a consortium of over 220 private, non-profit fair housing organizations, state and local civil rights agencies, and individuals from throughout the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the National Fair Housing Alliance, through comprehensive education, advocacy and enforcement programs, provides equal access to apartments, houses, mortgage loans and insurance policies for all residents of the nation. www.NationalFairHousing.org

TARGET SMARTS
Target Smarts (www.targetsmarts.com) is an independent marketing communications consultancy and resource group providing strategy development, creative development and execution, market consulting, and superior insight discovery to marketers and advertising agencies alike including the March of Dimes, Aliz�-Kobrand Corporation, Cox Communications, Colangelo Synergy Marketing, UniWorld Group, and FCB-Draft among others.

Target Smarts is redefining successful brand building within multicultural and other consumer niche markets by increasing brand loyalty and preference through improving target IQ.

The Advertising Council
The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

Contact:
Beth Shanley
The Ad Council
212-984-1923
bshanley@adcouncil.org

Ad Council Announces New Chief Financial Officer

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:19:37 GMT

New York, NY - September 10, 2008 - The Advertising Council announced today that Jon Fish has joined the organization as Chief Financial Officer.

In his role, Mr. Fish will manage and direct the financial operations of the organization reporting to Peggy Conlon, President & CEO. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, Mr. Fish will participate in developing and implementing organizational strategies, policies and procedures. His responsibilities also include Information Technology and Office Services.

Prior to joining the Ad Council, Mr. Fish served as Vice President of Financial Operations at CKX, Inc. where his responsibilities included overseeing and design of internal controls, managing teams around the country and overseas and leading global Sarbanes Oxley implementation across many major brands. Past positions also include senior posts at Martha Stuart Living Omnimedia, WorldSport Networks and HBO. He served in many areas of the board for the United States Olympic Committee for eleven years after competing in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Mr. Fish currently serves on the board of Row New York as well as being an adjunct professor in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at New York University teaching Finance Management for Film and Television. He holds a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and received his CPA at Ernst & Young.

The Advertising Council
The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

Contact:
Beth Shanley, 212-984-1923, bshanley@adcouncil.org

Ad Council, Environmental Defense Fund and Ogilvy New York Launch New "Polar Bears" Broadcast and Online PSAs to Combat Global Warming

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:26:06 GMT

New Video PSAs Urge All Americans Nationwide to Use Public Transit, Carpool and Bike

NEW YORK, September 9, 2008 - The Advertising Council, in partnership with Environmental Defense Fund and Ogilvy New York, today announced the launch of a new series of broadcast and online viral public service announcements (PSAs) designed to urge Americans to take advantage of mass transit, carpooling and biking to combat global warming. Discovery Communications' new environmentally focused Planet Green channel will air the PSAs, as well as the network's companion online properties, www.planetgreen.com and www.treehugger.com

Beginning this week, the online viral PSAs will also be posted on popular social networking and video sharing websites, and environmental and consumer blogs. The Ad Council will be distributing the broadcast PSA to TV stations nationwide, with a particular emphasis on major cities with public transit. Additionally, as a result of a partnership with SeeSaw, the world's most extensive digital out-of-home media network, the PSAs will air on screens in convenient stores, health clubs and on college campuses throughout the country. Per the Ad Council's model, the PSAs will air in time slots donated by the media.

American households spend more on transportation than on food and that's especially true when gas prices are high. If every car owner drove 10 fewer miles per week, we would prevent the same amount of global warming-carbon dioxide pollution that is emitted by producing electricity for 8 million homes.

"If a picture is worth a thousand words, then these 'Ride, Don't Drive' PSAs are worth a million words showing a clear connection between personal action and climate solutions," said Andy Darrell, Vice President for Living Cities Program at Environmental Defense Fund. "Americans can make a rare triple play with 'Ride, Don't Drive.' Just leave the car at home a few times a week and you can give a helping hand to a polar bear, your lungs and your family budget."

New data from the government and the American Public Transportation Association shows that the use of public transit has significantly increased in three out of four cities (75% of all U.S. cities). Additionally, Americans drove 53 billion fewer miles during the eight months between November 2007 and June 2008 compared to the same time period the previous year. Finally, during the first quarter of this year, Americans made 88 million more public transit trips than during the first quarter of last year.

The new PSAs are part of a national multi-level marketing effort, and convey the urgency that global warming is worsening, but there are steps that all Americans can take to become more active in reducing greenhouse gas pollution that causes global warming. They were created pro bono by Ogilvy New York on behalf of the Ad Council and Environmental Defense Fund's Global Warming PSA campaign.

"We are proud to partner with Environmental Defense Fund on these new PSAs to educate Americans about the simple things they can do to reduce our annual carbon dioxide emissions, such as taking mass transit in their cities," said Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of the Ad Council. "I'm confident that these compelling videos, developed pro bono by Ogilvy, will make all Americans think about what they can do in their daily lives to make our cities healthier."

Ogilvy asked Joshua Allen Harris, a student at the School of Visual Arts and an internationally renowned street artist, to create the mother polar bear and cub featured in the new videos. The artist gained a reputation for creating various animals, serpents and monsters out of recyclable trash bags. The videos show the trash bags appearing on a New York City street tied to subway grates. When trains pass underground, air rushes up through the grates to inflate the bags and a mother polar bear and cub come to life. As the trains depart, the bears slowly deflate. The videos were directed by Tim Godsell and the band behind the music is Stars of the Lid.

The PSAs, available in lengths of 30, 60 and 69 seconds, conclude with the words - "Help save the planet. Ride, don't drive." and directs viewers to www.fightglobalwarming.com, where they can calculate their personal contribution to the climate change crisis, and get a series of simple energy-saving tips.

"Catching people's attention in a city like New York is challenging," said Jon Wagner, Senior Copy Writer and Dustin Duke, Senior Art Director at Ogilvy New York. "We found this artist and asked him to adapt his work to feature a polar bear and her cub, the icons for global warming. The idea was to create something that would stop people in their tracks and to encourage them to think about the little things they can do every day to help save the planet."

The "Polar Bears" made their debut alongside a New York City subway station, but through the production of the PSAs the message will reach cities throughout the country. For more information about the campaign, local and national data, and to see the broadcast and online PSAs go to: www.fightglobalwarming.com.

Ogilvy North America
Ogilvy North America (www.ogilvy.com) is the largest unit of The Ogilvy Group agency network, a subsidiary of WPP Group plc (NASDAQ: WPPGY). It has offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit, Durham, Minneapolis, Denver, and throughout Canada. Ogilvy North America brings together all the capabilities of the Ogilvy network to provide integrated marketing solutions to the agency's clients. It encompasses Ogilvy & Mather Advertising, OgilvyEntertainment, OgilvyOne, OgilvyInteractive, Neo@Ogilvy, Ogilvy Healthworld, Ogilvy Public Relations and OgilvyAction.

Environmental Defense Fund
Environmental Defense Fund, a leading national nonprofit organization, represents more than 500,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. For more information, visit www.edf.org.

The Advertising Council
The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization with a rich history of marshalling volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public. Having produced literally thousands of PSA campaigns addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has effected, and continues to effect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action, and saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit www.adcouncil.org.

Contact:
Beth Shanley, The Ad Council, 212-984-1923, bshanley@adcouncil.org

Toni Lee, Ogilvy and Mather, 212-237-5090, toni.lee@ogilvy.com

Sean Crowley, Environmental Defense Fund, 202-572-3331, scrowley@edf.org

United States Olympic Committee and Ad Council Launch Anti-Steroid Campaign with Support of Olympic Team Sponsor Johnson & Johnson

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:39:57 GMT

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. August 8, 2008- The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Ad Council announced today the launch of a multi-year public awareness campaign focused on teen steroid use. The campaign is being funded by U.S. Olympic Team sponsor Johnson & Johnson, and it marks the first time the USOC and the Ad Council have joined forces to raise awareness about the national issue of illegal performance-enhancing drugs both within and outside of sport.

"We know athletes and individuals who choose to engage in the destructive behavior of illegal steroid use live in fear of being found out," said USOC Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr. "This initiative is geared to show teens and other age groups that illegal steroid use can only lead to a harmful and embarrassing end. Additionally, teens need to fully understand the dangerous health risks associated with steroids and other performance-enhancing substances."

Components of the campaign will be launched during the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games and include TV, radio, print and Internet PSAs which convey the urgency of this critical issue in an effort to shift teens' perception and image around steroid use. All of the PSAs direct the audience to visit www.DontBeAnAsterisk.com to learn more about steroids, hear from professional athletes and find healthy alternatives to excel in athletics.

"We are proud to partner with the United States Olympic Committee, Johnson & Johnson and creative agency TBWA on this critical issue to help teenagers realize that steroids are socially unacceptable," said Peggy Conlon, President & CEO, the Ad Council. "The ads are engaging and memorable, while motivating, and I believe they will have a great impact on teens and parents in our country."

The campaign will be funded for at least three years through the support of Johnson & Johnson. Johnson & Johnson has long been engaged in health awareness and education initiatives worldwide, and its support of the USOC and Ad Council's anti-steroid message is a critical piece in the campaign's ultimate success.

"Johnson & Johnson recognizes how important it is to educate teens about the appropriate use of all medications and the dangers associated with their misuse," said Brian Perkins, Corporate Vice President, Corporate Affairs. "The elements of this campaign should resonate as authentic with teens, and they are consistent with our philosophy of caring about people's health and well-being in ways that are meaningful and impactful."

The campaign was created pro bono under the direction of TBWA\Chiat\Day, New York, a leading global advertising agency. Research conducted to help inform the campaign led TBWA\Chiat\Day to focus on the word and symbol of the "Asterisk - *" as the foundation for the campaign.

"Being caught with steroids comes with absolute penalties. You're off the team. Your scholarship is gone. Your hopes of going pro are possibly out the window," Gary Scheiner, Executive Creative Director, TBWA\Chiat\Day. "Our creative solution was to make teens understand that of all the outcomes of steroid use, fakeness is also considerably damaging. To illustrate this, we took a well-known icon already used in the world of sport, and turned it into our scarlet letter. The Asterisk."

A link to the official Web site for the campaign - www.DontBeAnAsterisk.com - can be found on both the USOC and Ad Council Web sites - www.teamusa.org and http://www.adcouncil.org.

About the USOC

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the sole entity in the United States whose mission involves training, entering and underwriting the full expenses for the U.S. teams in the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. In addition to being the steward of the U.S. Olympic Movement, the USOC is the moving force for support of sports in the United States that are on the program of the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. Learn more about the U.S. Olympic Team and USOC at www.teamusa.org.

About the Ad Council
The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org). is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

About Johnson & Johnson
Caring for the world ... one person at a time, inspires and unites the people of Johnson & Johnson (www.jnj.com). We embrace research and science -- bringing innovative ideas, products and services to advance the health and well-being of people. Our 120,200 employees at more than 250 Johnson & Johnson companies work with partners in health care to touch the lives of over a billion people every day, throughout the world.

About TBWA\Chiat\Day
TBWA\Chiat\Day is part of TBWA Worldwide. TBWA Worldwide (www.tbwa.com) creates Disruptive ideas for global clients, including ABSOLUT, adidas, Apple, Beiersdorf, Henkel, Infiniti, Mars, McDonald's, Michelin, Nissan, Pernod Ricard, Pioneer, Samsonite, Standard Chartered Bank, Singapore Airlines and Sony PlayStation. TBWA is one of the fastest-growing networks in the Top-Ten, and was named by ADWEEK as Global Agency Network of the Year and the most-awarded Agency Network by Creativity magazine in 2007. TBWA has 258 offices in 75 countries, and approximately 11,000 employees worldwide.

Omnicom Group Inc.
(NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

Contact:
USOC Communications Division - 719-866-4529

Beth Shanley, The Ad Council, 212-984-1923, bshanley@adcouncil.org

Marianne Stefanowicz, TBWA, 212-804-1167, Marianne.stefanowicz@tbwachiat.com

U.S. Patent & Trademark Office and National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation Join Ad Council to Inspire Invention in Children

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:43:07 GMT

The Department of Commerce's United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation (NIHFF) joined The Advertising Council today to launch a series of national public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to inspire a new generation of children in innovation. The new television, radio, outdoor and Web ads are the second series of the PSA campaign, which aims to make inventing a part of American children's lives.

For generations, the United States has been a global leader in technology and innovation. While the country represents only 5 percent of the world's population, it accounts for nearly one-third of the world's science and engineering researchers and 40 percent of all research and development, according to the Council on Competitiveness. However, with increased economic competition globally, it's widely understood that the United States must take steps now to maintain its leadership. In particular, America must ensure we inspire future generations of innovators.

Building on the awareness generated by the launch of the first phase of the campaign in April 2007, the new Inspiring Invention PSAs created in conjunction with ad agency Publicis & Hal Riney in San Francisco aim to inspire children (specifically "tweens," ages 8 to 11) to recognize how their imaginations can lead to the technological advances of the future. The campaign communicates that there is a role for every kind of unique curiosity and imaginative idea as it relates to invention. Ultimately, the goal is to motivate children to pursue inventing and innovating as part of their education and, later, in their careers.

"The USPTO is excited to support the Inspiring Invention campaign, which has used a variety of media to help young people discover their natural creativity and inventiveness," Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Jon Dudas commented. "As we enter the next phase of the campaign, I am confident this new series of public service announcements will strengthen America's legacy of innovation by showing children how their talents and education help them change the world for the better."

Developed through extensive research with inventors and children, the PSAs feature ordinary children creating inventions to solve everyday problems. The ads communicate to children that "anything's possible" and encourage them to "keep thinking." The PSAs direct audiences to visit a comprehensive website, www.InventNow.org, to explore and discover their own innate inventiveness and curiosity. Designed by VPI (Visual Perspectives Internet), the site allows children to explore their inventive interests in space, sports, design and entertainment.

Next week, new additions to the site will include a showroom, developed by Driftlab, featuring the inventions in the PSAs, along with a series of interactive games and an inventor's tool kit. Additionally, the "Invent Now" gallery highlights inventions created by children throughout the country. To date, the website has received more than 2 million visitors, over 72,000 people have registered on the site and more than 1,200 children have shared their inventions.

"We are proud to continue this wonderful campaign with a second series of PSAs designed to help children recognize how their imaginations can lead to the advances of the future," according to Peggy Conlon, president & CEO of the Ad Council. "This campaign has had extraordinary success in engaging children during the last year, and the new ads, along with the enhancements to the website, will continue the momentum."

The Inspiring Invention campaign is one of several educational initiatives in which NIHFF and USPTO partner to encourage children to think inventively. Among these initiatives are the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation's Camp Invention and Club Invention programs, which are supported by the USPTO. Camp Invention, now in its 18th year, is a summer day camp that fosters creativity and inventive thinking skills that allow children to learn through hands-on activities, subject immersion and discovery. In 2008, more than 60,000 students will attend Camp Invention in 47 states. Club Invention is an after-school program directed by the Hall of Fame that extends scientific inquiry-based education to after-school sites.

"We're thrilled to have the opportunity to build on the success of the first phase of this program and take the campaign to the next level," said Jamie King, president and CEO at Hal Riney. "There's something really exciting about leveraging the creativity of our own team to try and inspire creativity and innovation within a new generation of kids. The new work shows kids creating innovative solutions to their problems, communicating that everyone has the power and imagination to invent anything."

The PSAs are being distributed to 33,000 media stations nationwide this week. Per the Ad Council's donated media model, all of the new PSAs will air and run in advertising time and space donated by the media.

United States Patent and Trademark Office
Since 1790, the basic role of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has remained the same: to promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries (Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution). Today, the USPTO is a federal agency in the Department of Commerce, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. Through the issuance of patents, the USPTO encourages technological advancement by providing incentives to invent, invest in, and disclose new technology worldwide. Through the registration of trademarks, the agency assists businesses in protecting their investments, promoting goods and services, and safeguarding consumers against confusion and deception in the marketplace. By disseminating both patent and trademark information, the USPTO promotes an understanding of intellectual property protection and facilitates the development and sharing of new technologies worldwide.

National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation
The not-for-profit National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation is the premier organization in America dedicated to honoring and fostering creativity and invention. Each year a new class of inventors is inducted into the Hall of Fame in recognition of their patented inventions that make human, social, and economic progress possible. Founded in 1973 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the National Council of Intellectual Property Law Association, the organization is headquartered in Akron, Ohio, from where it administers its national programs, including Camp Invention�, Club Invention�, and the Collegiate Inventors Competition�. For more information, visit www.invent.org.

Publicis & Hal Riney
Hal Riney is a full-service creative boutique headquartered in San Francisco, wholly owned by Publicis Groupe, the world's fourth-largest communication group. Riney's advertising clients include well-known brands such as U.S. Cellular, SanDisk, Hungry Man, Vlasic, Blue Cross and Blue Shield (WellPoint) and AAA.

The Advertising Council
The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

Contact:

Jennifer Rankin Byrne, United States Patent and Trademark Office, 571-272-0422, jennifer.rankinbyrne@uspto.gov

Ellyn Fisher, The Ad Council, 212-984-1964, efisher@adcouncil.org

Michelle Musburger, Publicis & Hal Riney, 415-293-2254, musburger_michelle@hrp.com

Rini Paiva, National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation, 330.849.6916, rpaiva@invent.org

Ad Council and Radio Disney Present the "Move It!" Mall Tour

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:24:58 GMT

New interactive event, featuring social messages for children, comes to malls nationwide

NEW YORK, July 16, 2008- The Advertising Council, in partnership with Radio Disney and Simon Malls, announced today that they have developed a new interactive program designed to bring health and wellness messages to children and families in 34 malls across the country. The program will kick off this weekend and continue throughout the summer.

The 34-market tour, called Move It! Mall Tour, is a celebration of music and movement, which aims to inspire children to adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle, and positions music and movement as unique and fun ways for children to express themselves. Presented by Radio Disney, the program is a fun, highly interactive event targeted to children ages 8 through 14 and their families. The event will feature games and activity stations for more than 200,000 children and families.

Four of the significant social issues addressed by the Ad Council's national public service advertising (PSA) campaigns will be highlighted through the interactive games and events. They include: Nutrition Education, Lifelong Literacy, Wildfire Prevention and Inspiring Invention. The campaigns are sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Library of Congress, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the U.S. Forest Service and National Association of State Foresters. Parents can obtain more information on all of the campaigns from the Ad Council booth located next to the activity stations.

"We are very excited to continue our partnership with Radio Disney for this interactive mall tour that will engage children and families throughout the country in our public service messages," said Peggy Conlon, President and CEO of the Ad Council.

Move It! games will include a new game called "Tick Tack Know", which will test children's knowledge of the Ad Council's PSA campaigns (after they view them on a TV reel). If the questions are answered correctly, they get the chance to receive a bean bag and play an interactive game of Tic Tac Toe. The Move It! Mall Tour stops will also feature interactive, family-fun activities including the Rag� Soccer Challenge and a Radio Disney Dance Party.

Two-time Emmy winner, choreographer, entertainer and American Idol judge Paula Abdul will host a Radio Disney Move It! event in Los Angeles, CA (Fall 2008). A sweepstakes drawing by local Radio Disney stations will offer one lucky Grand Prize winner, 14 and under, and their family a trip to the event to meet and learn dance moves from Abdul. A second Grand Prize drawing by local Radio Disney stations will include a family trip to the Winter X Games (January 2009) in Aspen, CO.

This is the second annual "Move It" tour conducted by Radio Disney in partnership with the Ad Council. Last year's tour engaged more than 380,000 parents and children in the issues addressed by the Ad Council's public service campaigns.

The four-hour Move It! event, which will take place on Saturdays, is one of several programs hosted throughout the year by Simon Kidgits Club, which has attracted more than 600,000 kids and their parents as members, and is designed to connect consumers to brands in a "lifestyle" destination, reinforce the mall as a family destination, engage Simon retailers and appeal to marketers. The event is free and open to the public.

The tour includes malls in New York, Philadelphia, Orlando, Chicago, Boston, Denver, Seattle, Atlanta and San Francisco, among others. The first events will take place on July 19th in Cleveland, Miami, Norfolk, San Antonio and Tulsa.

Radio Disney is the #1, 24-hour radio network devoted to kids, tweens and families. Kids help pick the music that is played and are encouraged to interact via a toll-free phone line to the Radio Disney studio. The network's current playlist, driven by listener requests and representing major record labels, includes recording artists Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana, Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, Jordin Sparks, Chris Brown, Aly & AJ, The Cheetah Girls, Mitchel Musso, Colbie Caillat and Carrie Underwood. The network is available to 97% of the U.S. which includes over 50 terrestrial radio stations. It is also available via RadioDisney.com, XM and Sirius satellite radio, iTunes Radio Tuner, XM/DIRECTV and mobile phones. Radio Disney has a sister network in Latin America. Its brand extensions include multiple Radio Disney Jams CDs from Walt Disney Records and iTunes Music Store offerings.

The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

Contacts:
Ellyn Fisher
The Ad Council
212-984-1964

Salwa Scarpone
Radio Disney
818-569-5929
salwa.scarpone@disney.com