Federal vaccination requirements for businesses of 100 or more workers are intended to create safer workplace environments for employees and customers. They may also help make meaningful progress in achieving health equity — especially if employers take steps to engage disproportionately impacted communities in their policy planning. That’s because vaccines protect the very people who are most likely to experience the worst COVID-19 outcomes, significantly reducing the likelihood of hospitalization and death. Top officials at the American Civil Liberties Union have said that vaccine requirements are especially important for frontline workers and other people who are regularly exposed to the public in the course of their jobs.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to create unprecedented challenges to American life, the conversation around mental health has finally broken into the mainstream. To discuss what's changed and how to authentically reach specific communities to provide them the tools they need, Lisa Sherman, president and CEO of the Ad Council, spoke with partners on several recent mental health efforts. They include Gabrielle Shirdan, senior VP and group creative director at McCann; Alvin Bowles, VP of business engineering and partner solutions at Facebook; and John MacPhee, president and CEO of the JED Foundation.

As part of our ongoing COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative, director and producer Deborah Riley Draper recently worked with the Ad Council and JOY Collective to create a short-form documentary that highlights stories from descendants of the U.S. Public Health Services Syphilis Study at Tuskegee. Her film provides the opportunity for audiences to hear directly from the families impacted by the study and explores what current generations can learn from the experience to build confidence in public health within Black communities, especially as it relates to the COVID-19 vaccines.

The NCAA has long barred student athletes from being paid “to advertise, recommend or promote directly the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind.” That is, until June 21, 2021, when the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the NCAA cannot stop student athletes from pursuing name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals or other financial opportunities. This decision marks a decisive turning point in the organization’s 115-year history.

As marketers, we are also storytellers. And the story we are telling is incomplete.

South by Southwest will take place March 11-20, and the panel picker, which gives the public a chance to vote for their favorite potential panels, is now live. Check out these prospective panels submitted by the Ad Council and take a moment to vote for your favorites—voting is open through August 26.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the partnership between the Ad Council and Project Yellow Light, an organization that combats distracted driving through student-created advertising. Distracted driving is deadly; according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 26,004 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver between 2012-2019. Our latest Champion for Good, Project Yellow Light founder Julie Garner, talked to us about her very personal reason for founding the organization, what she’s learned along the way, and why this particular moment—when many are returning to daily commutes and road travel—is so important for illuminating the road ahead.

Smokey Bear turns 77 today, August 9th, 2021. His Ad Council Wildfire Prevention campaign in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters is the longest running public service campaign in history. Smokey and his iconic catchphrase “Only you can prevent wildfires” have become immediately recognizable in American culture. Let’s revisit Smokey’s start in 1944 and examine his journey as an ever-evolving advertising icon.

25 Million Eligible Americans Still Undecided, Young Adults and Parents of Teens Are Critical to Vaccine Acceptance

This Child Passenger Safety Week, New PSAs Highlight the Importance of Choosing the Right Car Seat or Booster Seat for a Child’s Age and Size

On the heels of the IPCC’s latest report, new campaign responds to research finding that 60% of Americans are concerned about climate change, but only 14% talk about it often

Campaign taps creators Anna Wannquist, Donovan Beck, Jamie Grace, Maleah Whitten, Phillip Vu, Pink Sweat$, Sedona Prince, and Tessa Violet to encourage friends to start and continue conversations about mental health this September