On February 25th, the day the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative announced the platform for our vaccine education initiative, “It’s Up to You,” Stephen Colbert joked on The Late Show, “Okay, that’s a nice sentiment, but ‘it’s up to you’ is why we have this problem—we need everyone to get vaccinated.” He went on to suggest some absurd alternate slogans.

Noopur Agarwal is the vice president of social impact for the MTV Entertainment Group. As part of her ongoing work around mental health, the Ad Council recently partnered with Noopur and her team on #AloneTogether, which launched in the early days of COVID-19, and we are currently working with her on her cross-industry mental health storytelling initiative that includes a Mental Health Media Guide providing best practices and evidence-based recommendations to support storytellers at any phase in the production process. We are also proud to work closely with Noopur and her team to launch Mental Health Action Day on May 20.

Back in the fall, when the Ad Council started talking about the role we could play in educating the American public and building confidence around the COVID-19 vaccines , we knew our call to action would be to direct people toward the facts. But we weren’t sure if we would need to build a standalone website or if we would simply refer people to a trusted source like the CDC.

This article was originally published by Ad Age.

Steven HT Wong is the cofounder and co-CEO of Ready State, the marketing and communications committee chair at the 1990 Institute, and a valued Ad Council partner, most notably for his work on our “Fight the Virus. Fight the Bias,” which directly addresses the rise in anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read on to learn more about Steven’s work, his thoughts on what brands should be doing to combat the rise in anti-Asian racism, and his advice for creating a meaningful life and career.

Hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community have increased exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yesterday, Stop AAPI Hate released a report that documented 3,795 reports of anti-Asian hate incidents from March 2020 to February 2021, and last night in Atlanta, a shooter took the lives of eight people, most of whom were women of AAPI descent. If you or your organization is looking for actionable ways to support the AAPI community and stand firmly against hate, read on:

Through the technology they use, the partnerships they develop and the creative approach they take to telling new stories, advertisers have the unique ability to propel culture forward.

Just because Black History Month is drawing to a close doesn’t mean education about Black history should. We thought we’d take this moment to round up some valuable partners, resources and collaborators that may inspire you or your organization to elevate Black voices through your work. Let’s commit to making every month Black History Month.

Washington, D.C., June 10, 2021 – Ahead of National Get Outdoors Day on June 12, the USDA Forest Service and the Ad Council today announced new public service advertisements (PSAs) from the Discover the Forest campaign. Since 2009, the Ad Council and USDA Forest Service’s Discover the Forest campaign has encouraged parents and caregivers to take their families out to the forest to experience and reconnect with nature. The new creative work highlights the power of authentic storytelling to showcase the value of the forest as a place where families can deepen their connection with each other and with the outdoors. The PSAs culminate in a singular ask: make the forest part of your family’s story.

Washington, D.C. (May 20, 2021) – The USDA Forest Service, the National Association of State Foresters and the Ad Council are reminding Americans everywhere of important wildfire prevention tips to keep in mind when spending time outdoors. The public service advertising (PSA) campaign emphasizes the role we each play in keeping our safe places safe when enjoying the outdoors this Memorial Day and beyond. As part of the ongoing “Be Outdoor Safe” initiative, the PSAs include wildfire prevention and outdoor safety tips that anyone can use to help protect our public lands.

With their unique barriers to vaccination, nearly half (45%) of young adults in America do not feel that they know enough to guide their decision about getting a COVID-19 vaccine

The campaign partners with TikTok and Instagram stars Bryce Xavier, Dani Donovan, GegetheJing, Joyce Wert, Liya Hizkias and Shahem, musical group lovelytheband, musicians Alaina Castillo, Daya, Elle Winter, Jensen McRae and Kat Cunning, mental health experts and more to encourage mental health conversations this May