As part of their ongoing Stop the Texts. Stop the Wrecks. Texting and Driving Prevention campaign, the Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are partnering with YouTube creator and actress Meg DeAngelis to raise awareness of this dangerous behavior. The collaboration also coincides with the release of new television campaign public service advertisements (PSAs) and the launch of Project Yellow Light, a national video contest and scholarship program that aims to educate young drivers on and generate engagement around this issue.
Meg is joining the effort as part of the Ad Council’s Creators for Good program by distributing new exclusive video content to her almost four million subscribers on YouTube. The video amplifies the campaign message, showing drivers that no matter how “safely” they think they can drive while doing other things, distracted driving is always dangerous. Created as an advice video, Meg runs through “10 Everyday Things You’re Doing Wrong” - from putting in bobby pins to folding your clothes - and ends with a serious message to her fans about the dangers of texting and driving.
“Texting and driving is such a serious issue, so I'm really proud to be a voice of this important campaign,” said DeAngelis. “I want all of my viewers to stay safe, so I hope that together, we can spread the word on the dangers of distracted driving.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7682151-ad-council-project-yellow-light/
The period between Christmas and New Year’s typically has one of the highest rates of impaired driving fatalities, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In an effort to reduce drunk and buzzed driving related incidents during the holidays, NHTSA, the Ad Council and the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) launched their 12th annual “Project Roadblock: Local TV Puts the Brakes on Drunk Driving.”
Project Roadblock was created in 2004 in support of NHTSA and the Ad Council’s Buzzed Driving Prevention public service advertising (PSA) campaign. To date, broadcast TV stations across the nation have donated more than $40 million in media to support this effort. The partnership aims to unite local television stations in creating a nationwide advertising roadblock by airing Project Roadblock PSAs (Public Service Announcements) between December 26 and December 31. Local broadcast stations voluntarily participate in the campaign by donating on-air, online and mobile time and space with a special push at 10 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve. In addition, TV stations will be reaching out to their communities on social media to share social graphics and messaging to further reach audiences.
“Drunk driving remains a serious threat on our roads and claims more than 10,000 lives a year,” said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind. ”Local broadcast television is an effective tool in reaching consumers, and we thank the TVB, all the stations, and the Ad Council for their ongoing support of drunk driving prevention, especially during the holiday season.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7701751-ad-council-nhtsa-buzzed-driving-psa/
Three of the Internet’s most beloved pets are teaming up to help the millions of cats and dogs in shelters and rescue groups across the country find loving homes. Fashion icon Toast Meets World, globally recognized pianist Keyboard Cat and life of the party Hamilton Pug are lending their star power to “Start A Story. Adopt,” a new public service advertising (PSA) campaign from The Shelter Pet Project, a collaborative effort between Maddie’s Fund®, The Humane Society of the United States and the Ad Council.
Toast Meets World, Keyboard Cat and Hamilton Pug receive millions of views, likes and shares on social media, but most people don’t know they were adopted. Created pro bono by J. Walter Thompson New York, these new PSAs share these pets’ unique stories, which all began in shelters and rescue groups, and highlight the special bonds between the pets and their families. Prospective owners are encouraged to visit TheShelterPetProject.org to learn more about the adoption process and search for adoptable pets at shelters and rescue groups near them. Adoption advocates are also encouraged to support the effort on social media by using the hashtag #StartAStoryAdopt to share stories of how their shelter pets changed their lives for the better and to encourage others to start their own stories by adopting an amazing shelter dog or cat today.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7747051-ad-council-shelter-pets-project/
Every 33 seconds a child under 13 is involved in a car crash in the United States, according to 2014 data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Safety seats, if used correctly, can dramatically reduce the risk of fatality or injury. But 59 percent of car seats are misused in a way that could reduce their effectiveness, and over one-third of children killed in car crashes were completely unrestrained at the time of the crash. Today, NHTSA and the Ad Council unveiled a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) to educate parents and caregivers about the importance of selecting the right seat for their child’s age and size, and to remind them that car seats, booster seats and seat belts offer the best protection for children in crashes and help save lives.
“Life can change in an instant. We want parents and caregivers to prepare for the unexpected, rather than face their worst nightmare,” said Dr. Mark Rosekind, NHTSA administrator. “Buckling up a child correctly and in the right seat is the best protection any parent can do to see their child walk away unharmed from a car crash.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7774451-ad-council-find-the-right-seat/
The Ad Council today launched a groundbreaking public service campaign designed to encourage audiences to welcome and support refugees who have recently resettled in the U.S. The campaign aims to raise awareness, dispel misconceptions and connect audiences to EmbraceRefugees.org where they can learn more about the issue and find local resources to assist refugees in their communities. Launching to coincide with World Refugee Day, the integrated effort was developed with creative firm Tongal and its global network of filmmakers, marking the first time in the Ad Council’s 75-year history the organization has created a new campaign through crowdsourcing. The public service ads (PSAs) debuted this morning and will be distributed to media outlets nationwide this week.
“America has a proud legacy of welcoming refugees. In return, they serve their communities and our country -- as teachers and soccer coaches, as nurses and engineers, and as members of our armed forces,” said Heather Higginbottom, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources. “Refugees are thoroughly checked and we apply the highest security standards, so every community can welcome those who are resettling with open arms, as we would with any new neighbors.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7856251-ad-council-embrace-refugees/
In honor of Smokey Bear’s 72nd birthday, the Ad Council, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) launched a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) that aim to help prevent wildfires nationwide by increasing awareness about less commonly known ways that wildfires can start. The new “Rise from the Ashes” campaign uses wildfire ashes as an artistic medium to illustrate the devastation caused by wildfires and highlight less obvious wildfire causes.
“Education is a critical part of reducing the number of unwanted, human-caused wildfires we experience every year,” said U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Jim Hubbard. “We believe that this new iteration of Smokey Bear’s long-running PSA campaign will demonstrate campfires are not the only way to start a wildfire and that Smokey Bear is counting on them to take action to prevent accidental fire starts.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7896651-ad-council-smokey-bear-wildfire-psa/
The Ad Council and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation today launched new public service ads (PSAs) to support their national Finish Your Diploma campaign to provide adults with the information and encouragement needed to earn a high school equivalency diploma. The new PSAs celebrate adult learners in America and reinforce the idea that no one does it alone.
“As adults are considering finishing their diploma, often the greatest challenge is simply knowing where to go for support and having the courage to take the first step towards completing their diploma,” said Denine Torr of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “By coupling real stories with information about free local adult education classes and resources, we hope the new commercials will inspire and empower individuals to pursue their dreams through education.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7900051-ad-council-dollar-general-finish-your-diploma/
Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization, has partnered with the Ad Council and McCann New York to launch new public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to raise awareness about child hunger in the United States. Featuring the voice of celebrity activist Julianne Moore, who volunteered her time and talent, the PSAs call upon Americans to help children facing hunger in America by supporting the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7909951-feeding-america-ad-council-julianne-moore/
Today, the Ad Council in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, AdoptUSKids, and KBS launched new public service advertisements (PSAs) for the award-winning Adoption from Foster Care campaign. The new television and radio PSAs encourage the adoption of older youth from foster care.
Of the 428,000 youth under the age of 18 in the U.S. foster care system, 112,000 are currently waiting for adoptive families, according to the most recent Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data. Since the project’s launch in 2002, more than 26,000 children who were once photo listed on the AdoptUSKids website have been placed with permanent families. However, older youth and teens have lower adoption rates than younger children, and they often wait longer to be adopted. Currently, of the 5,560 youth photo-listed on the website as available for adoption, 43% are between the ages of 15 and 18 years old.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7979251-ad-council-adoptuskids-adopt-from-foster-care/
More than 40 million Americans are family caregivers, taking care of parents, spouses, partners, and other adult loved ones. To help caregivers get the support they need to take care of themselves and their loved ones, AARP and the Ad Council are continuing their successful Caregiver Assistance campaign with new PSAs, created pro bono by agency Spike DDB, designed to reach the underserved African-American caregiver population.
“Many people will spend more of their time and resources caring for their aging parents than they did raising their own children,” said AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins. “African-American caregivers are disproportionately affected as most are much younger than their white counterparts and often leave the workforce to provide care on a full-time basis. These new PSAs will help create greater awareness for caregivers who tackle tough issues every day, and provide information on the many resources that are available to help them meet their needs and those of their loved ones.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7980451-ad-council-aarp-caregiver-assistance-campaign/
To motivate parents and their children to spend more time in nature together, the U.S. Forest Service and the Ad Council today launched a new public service advertisement (PSA) campaign urging families to experience the many wonders of nature close to home together.
The PSAs, created in partnership with The Foundry, Time Inc.’s state-of-the-art creative lab and content studio, focus on family time in nearby forested environments, reminding parents that having a nature experience with their children is not only easy and local, but also fun and full of learning opportunities and benefits. This is the first time that the Ad Council has worked with the creative division of a media company that has iconic roots in publishing on a large-scale production on behalf of one of its PSA campaigns. A range of Time Inc. properties are also donating print and digital advertising space in support of this campaign.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8171051-new-ad-council-u-s-forest-services-discover-the-forest-psa/
Four in ten New Yorkers report feeling unprepared for an emergency event such as a natural disaster, fire, power outage or act of terrorism. To raise awareness of preparedness tactics and encourage New Yorkers to plan ahead for disasters, the New York City Emergency Management Department, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Ad Council are releasing new public service announcements (PSAs) as part of the Ready New York campaign to conclude National Preparedness Month this September. The creative encourages families to take time to talk about making emergency plans, including what to do, where to go, and how to stay in touch during an emergency.
“We want all New Yorkers to know what to do to be prepared before a disaster strikes. We can help protect our families by thinking through the steps to take before, during and after an emergency. The new ads show how easy it is to make a plan, empowering New Yorkers to have a much-needed discussion about family preparedness,” shares Joseph J. Esposito, Commissioner of NYC Emergency Management.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8170351-ad-council-nyc-emergency-management-plan/
