Campaign Educates Hispanics with Diabetes About A1C

Diabetes is a serious health issue in today’s society, and the disease is particularly devastating to Hispanics. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on average, adult Latinos are nearly twice as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of the same age.

The Ad Council, 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, have launched the first-ever national public education campaign geared toward raising awareness of A1C, a key indicator of diabetes management.

The campaign educates Hispanics with diabetes about the critical importance of knowing their A1C. A1C, a test that measures a patient’s blood glucose level over the previous three months, might also help predict serious health complications such as heart attack and stroke. Unfortunately, many people do not know their A1C level

The multimedia PSA campaign, created pro bono by McCann HumanCare/Salud, utilizes provocative television, radio, print, outdoor and Web messaging to communicate this critical message to the Hispanic community. The central theme of the PSAs is that while life is filled with many important numbers, such as birthdays, phone numbers and dates, your A1C number is the most important if you have diabetes.

The campaign directs audiences to visit a new interactive website, www.MiDiabetesA1C.org, or dial 1-800-788-9604 to obtain Spanish-language information explaining the importance of talking to a health care provider about the A1C test and the role it can play in reducing the risk of diabetes complications.

New Spanish Area on AdCouncil.org

In an effort to extend its public service advertising campaigns to the Spanish-speaking community in the U.S., the Ad Council has added a Spanish area on its website, www.adcouncil.org. The development of the site is part of the Ad Council’s continuing commitment to the Hispanic American community.

The new area mirrors the English-language website and includes history and information about the organization, as well as information about and links to all current Ad Council public service campaigns aimed at the Hispanic community.

The Ad Council has a long history of reaching out to the Hispanic community, beginning with the launch of its first Spanish-language PSA in 1968, which focused on rehabilitation of the handicapped. Since that time, the organization has been committed to delivering critical messages on education, community, health and safety to the Hispanic population nationwide.

Helping Hispanic Teens Stay in School

As we move further into the new school year, we are reminded that the high school dropout rate continues to rise and the rate at which students leave high school between grades nine and ten has tripled over the last 30 years. In addition to increased unemployment, dropouts are often at a greater risk for drug use, gang involvement, poverty and teenage pregnancy, making it evident that dropout prevention is a critical issue deserving of the nation’s attention.

This is an issue that particularly affects the Hispanic community. According to Education Week, the current national graduation rate for Hispanic students is only 57 percent, compared to a rate of 76 percent for Caucasian students.

In response to the widespread national dropout crisis, the Ad Council and the U.S. Army are continuing their high school dropout prevention initiative “Boost Up,” a multimedia program designed to help at-risk kids stay in school and graduate. The new public service advertisements, available in English and Spanish, feature members of the “Class of ’08” and encourage at-risk teens, peers and parents to visit www.BoostUp.org. The new BoostUp.org provides resources, tips, stories and an interactive community that enables visitors to show their support for the Class of ‘08.

The Ad Council and the U.S. Army’s partnership on high school dropout prevention began in 2000. Since that time, donated media support for the PSAs has reached over $400 million and the campaign website has attracted over one million visitors to date. Thank you for your support of this critical issue.

Educating Homeowners About Foreclosures

According to several housing industry estimates, more than one million households will be foreclosed upon in 2007. It’s estimated that the number of homeowners who had to give up their homes this past April was 62 percent higher than it was at the same time last year. Furthermore, a study conducted by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) found that Hispanic borrowers were at a higher risk of foreclosure.

As a result of these startling statistics, the Ad Council, in partnership with Neighborworks® America, launched a national PSA campaign last summer to educate homeowners about where they can turn for help if they are at risk of foreclosure. More than 6 in 10 delinquent homeowners are not aware of services that mortgage lenders can offer to people behind in their mortgage. This new campaign directs homeowners to quality help and guidance regarding their options, provided by 1-888-995-HOPE and local Neighborworks organizations.

Created pro bono by ad agency mcgarrybowen, the new Spanish-language radio PSAs urge homeowners in financial trouble to call the hotline, the cornerstone of a foreclosure prevention effort involving many of the country’s largest mortgage market companies.

NFL and LPGA Players Urge Children to "Get up and Play an Hour a Day"

According to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the number of overweight children has almost tripled over the past three decades, with 12.5 million children and teens considered overweight today. Experts maintain that 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, thereby combating 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) and the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) to launch two new series of PSAs. The NFL spots feature Reggie Bush (New Orleans Saints), Antonio Gates (San Diego Chargers) and Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys), while the LPGA ads include championship golfers Lorena Ochoa, Karrie Webb and Natalie Gulbis. All of the PSAs are available in Spanish and urge children and families to “get up and play an hour a day.”

The complementary efforts include television, radio, print, outdoor and Web advertising. 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. The television spots created by the NFL will air during football games throughout the fall season. All of the PSAs encourage youth to visit www.smallstep.govfor fun and interactive experiences and to learn more about a healthy and active lifestyle.

The 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 multi-year program that encourages youth to get 60 minutes of activity a day.