Managing Diabetes “Know Your A1C”

Diabetes is a major health issue and has the p­otential to result in deadly consequences. Nearly 21 million children and adults in this country currently have diabetes and the population is growing rapidly. People can live for years without knowing they have unmanaged diabetes causing irreparable damage. When not properly managed, diabetes increases the risk of kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage and amputations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Also, two out of three people with diabetes die of a heart attack or stroke.

One of the most important tools for people with diabetes is the A1C test, which can serve as a warning sign for uncontrolled diabetes. The test measures a patient’s blood glucose level over the previous three months and the goal for most people with diabetes is to maintain a consistent A1C score of less than 7 percent. Unfortunately, according to research conducted by the CDC, many people with diabetes are not aware of their risk for serious complications, nor do they know their A1C level.

In an effort to increase awareness about the critical importance of A1C, the Ad Council joined with the American Diabetes Association and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, with the American Association of Diabetes Educators and the National Council of La Raza, to launch a national public education campaign in September.

The multimedia PSA campaign features provocative television, radio, print, outdoor and Web messaging using a strategic “warning signs” approach. The central theme builds on the failure of life’s risks to come with warning signs, but for individuals with diabetes, A1C is a warning sign for out-of-control diabetes and complications like heart attack and stroke. Recognizing the high incidence of diabetes among the Hispanic population, the campaign also uses an integrated approach featuring Spanish-language messaging to reach the Hispanic community.

The campaign directs all audiences to visit a new interactive website, www.diabetesA1C.org, and call a toll-free number, 1-877-TEST-A1C (1-877-837-8212), for information on the importance of talking to a healthcare provider about the A1C test and the role it can play in reducing the risk of diabetes complications. The campaign is made possible by educational grants from Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., Bayer HealthCare LLC, Diabetes Care, LifeScan, Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novo Nordisk Inc., Roche Diagnostics Corporation and sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC.

NFL Players Urge Children to “Get Up and Play an Hour a Day”

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Dietary Guidelines for Americans, children and teens need at least 60 minutes of physical activity most days, preferably all days, to maintain good health.

In an effort to encourage physical activity among children, and thereby combat obesity and its resulting health risks, the Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) have joined with the National Football League (NFL) to launch a new series of PSAs. Featuring NFL players Reggie Bush (New Orleans Saints), Antonio Gates (San Diego Chargers) and Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys), the ads urge children and families to “get up and play an hour a day.”

The “Be a Player” campaign includes new television, radio, print, outdoor and Web advertising. The television spots will air during NFL games throughout the fall season. The PSAs target children ages 6–13 and communicate the message that physical activity is fun and easy, and that you don’t need to be an athlete or join organized sports to be active. In addition to the NFL players, the ads introduce new animated characters, Mike “Good Manners” McMannis, a referee who flags kids for “lazy penalties” (see right) and Wanda, a superhero-like cheerleader, who join the players in urging children to get active. The characters will be featured in upcoming NFL youth fitness initiatives throughout the football season.

All the PSAs encourage youth to visit www.smallstep.gov for fun and interactive experiences to learn more about a healthy and active lifestyle. The site includes information and activities, including NFL player blogs, games and wallpapers.

The new PSAs are an extension of the Ad Council’s Coalition for Healthy Children initiative, as well as the HHS Childhood Obesity Prevention campaign, which launched in 2004. The ads are also an important part of the NFL’s Play 60 youth health and fitness initiative, a multiyear program to encourage youth to get 60 minutes of activity a day. The PSAs are available in both English and Spanish and were created pro bono by the NFL, Curious Pictures and DCODE.

Increasing Awareness of Wireless AMBER Alerts

In an effort to further the reach of the Wireless AMBER Alerts™ campaign, the Ad Council joined The Wireless Foundation, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the U.S. Department of Justice to launch a weeklong program during Advertising Week (Sept. 24–28) in New York City. The program was designed to encourage all advertising and media industry executives, as well as wireless subscribers in the New York area, to sign up for free wireless text message alerts and help law enforcement safely recover abducted children.

Statistics show that when a child is abducted, the first three hours are most critical to recovery efforts. Since its creation in 1996, the AMBER Alert program has helped reunite more than 360 children with their families. The Wireless AMBER Alerts initiative is a way to extend the traditional AMBER Alert program by reaching out to the nearly 70 percent of the American population (242 million subscribers) that use wireless devices.

The program included the debut of new national and local PSAs for the campaign, which first launched last year. Created by Merkley + Partners, the TV, radio, print, outdoor and web ads urge audiences to visit www.wirelessamberalerts.org to sign up for the alerts. Additionally, the PSA s were featured on the Panasonic digital screen in Times Square and on 100,000 protective wireless device strips through a partnership with egrips® technology (www.egrips.com). The egrips® were distributed at high traffic locations throughout the city. Wireless carriers serving New York (AT&T, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless) also helped raise awareness of the campaign in their retail locations.

The program generated extraordinary awareness of Wireless AMBER Alerts and more than 4,000 wireless users subscribed in just one week! Please help support the new PSA s and further the reach of these critical messages in your community. You could help save an abducted child in your area.

Reducing Gun Violence

Despite progress in the fight against gun crime, gun crime rates in our country continue to be among the highest in the industrialized world, having a particularly devastating effect on youth. In 2005, more than 30 percent of the 16,700 homicide victims were 13 to 24 years old, and these teen and young adult victims were four times more likely to be murdered with a gun than with all other weapons combined.

To combat this problem of gun violence, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Ad Council, on behalf of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, a nationwide commitment to reduce gun violence in America, have launched the next series of national PSAs that aim to deter potential offenders.

The TV, radio and outdoor PSAs were created by Boston-based ad agency Mullen and aim to reach at-risk youth (ages 14–25) and their families. The ads speak directly to the offender and draw attention to the negative consequences of gun crime as experienced by the families of offenders.

The campaign is based on research that shows that the fear of incarceration, or even death, is not always the most effective crime deterrent; rather, young adults are more likely to steer clear of gun crime if they are aware of the negative consequences—the loneliness, emotional pain and financial hardships—that their families face as a result of their crimes. The new TV spots deliver a poignant illustration of these devastating consequences and the radio spots build on this message and feature testimonials from actual offenders, currently in prison, relaying how their family members have suffered due to their incarceration.

All the PSAs conclude with the tagline “Gun Crimes Hit Home.” The ads are available in both English and Spanish and have been localized for 60 markets nationwide.

New Veterans Campaign Premieres during World Series

The Ad Council has partnered with Major League Baseball Charities and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) to develop a national public service campaign that aims to encourage all Americans to raise awareness of and provide support for veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Featuring a voiceover by Tom Hanks, the television PSAs premiered at the World Series in October.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans under the age of 24 have an unemployment rate that is three times the national average. Thousands of younger veterans begin their military service after high school. Following their service, many express the desire to go back to school, but have difficulty accomplishing their goals. Additionally, one in three Iraq veterans and one in nine Afghanistan veterans will suffer from a mental health problem, ranging from depression to post traumatic stress disorder, upon their return home.

The new campaign addresses the reintegration of the soldiers returning home from the war. Created by ad agency Ogilvy & Mather in New York, the TV, radio and web banner PSAs depict the challenges faced by veterans and encourage the general public to visit a new website, www.welcomebackveterans.org, to find out how they can help and access resources that address the needs of veterans. IAVA and the Ad Council will launch additional PSA s for the campaign in the spring. We are confident that you will support this wonderful campaign.

Ad Council Partners with Acronym Media to Expand Search Engine Presence

In an effort to better connect Americans to thousands of volunteer and charity opportunities, the Ad Council has recently partnered with Acronym Media, a leading provider of search marketing solutions worldwide, to produce greater search engine optimization and paid search management to some of the Ad Council websites.

Beginning with www.DontAlmostGive.org, Acronym Media will be extending these services to additional sites in the Ad Council network in the coming months. At the www.DontAlmostGive.org website individuals can find ways to make a donation, search for volunteering opportunities in their community or get involved in a charity that aligns with their interests. The website is a valuable resource for people looking to connect with other organizations that will allow them to find ways of giving back.

Ultimately, it is the Ad Council’s hope that the Generous Nation campaign will encourage the many Americans who are inspired to give... to give more frequently whether formally or informally. Through its partnership with Acronym Media the www.DontAlmostGive.org site will be a greater resource for those who are looking for ways to help others in need.

Project Roadblock

Please remember to sign up for the 4th Annual Project Roadblock “Local TV Puts the Brakes on Drunk Driving” at www.tvb.org, which runs during the week of December 26th—January 1st. This year’s roadblock will be distributed via digital distribution channels to guarantee that every local broadcast TV station in the country receives these potentially life-saving PSAs in time for this year’s roadblock.

Thanks to your help, Americans have overwhelmingly embraced the “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” intervention campaign, making it not only socially acceptable but actually a social expectation to take the keys from an impaired family member, friend or loved one. The current “Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving” campaign is now extending its focus from one’s responsibility for his or her friends and family to the individual’s personal responsibility to not drive impaired—defined as driving with an illegal BAC level of .08 and above.

Most people don’t intend to drive home drunk, but too many drivers find themselves at the end of the night above the limit and without a sober designated driver. Unfortunately, many of these drivers convince themselves and friends that they are able to drive with the comment “I’m okay, I’m just buzzed.” Our goal is to redefine the commonly used term “Buzzed” as a cue to not drive.

Please continue to help us prevent drunk driving and save countless lives in your community by airing these spots as often as possible as part of TVB’s Project Roadblock and throughout the rest of the year.

Generous Nation

The Ad Council is thrilled to announce that the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), on behalf of its radio station members, has agreed to once again partner for an industry-wide “roadblock” in support of the Ad Council’s Generous Nation campaign.

While the campaign features the Ad Council logo, it was created on behalf of the entire nonprofit community. The PSA s encourage individuals to visit www.DontAlmostGive.org, a comprehensive website that connects listeners to thousands of non-profit organizations. The site has been built to enable visitors to donate to more than one million charities through partnerships with websites that aggregate ways to help others: Network for Good, VolunteerMatch and USA Freedom Corps.