 |
|
| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1941 |
| Headquarters | New York City, New York, United States |
| Industry | Public Service Announcements |
| Website | adcouncil.org |
The Advertising Council, commonly known as the Ad Council, is an American non-profit organization that distributes public service announcements on behalf of various sponsors, including non-profit organizations and agencies of the United States government.[1]
The Advertising Council generally does not produce public service advertisements itself, rather, it acts as a coordinator and distributor. The Advertising Council accepts requests from sponsor organizations for advertising campaigns that focus on particular social issues. To qualify, an issue must be non-partisan (though not necessarily unbiased) and have national relevance. The Advertising Council then assigns each campaign to a volunteer advertising agency that produces the actual advertisements. Finally, the Advertising Council distributes the finished advertisements to media outlets.
Contents |
History
The Advertising Council was conceived in 1941, and shortly after, in February 1942, it was incorporated as the The War Advertising Council for the purpose of mobilizing the advertising industry in support of the war effort. Early campaigns encouraged the purchase of war bonds and conservation of war materials.[2]
After the conclusion of the Second World War the War Advertising Council changed its name to the Advertising Council and shifted its focus to peacetime campaigns. In 1945, the Ad Council began working with the National Safety Council.[2]
According to documents[specify] from the Council's archives, the group aimed to enhance public opinion of and co-opt liberal opposition to advertising by using it to promote liberal and patriotic causes.[citation needed]
Famous campaigns
- Rosie the Riveter was developed by the WAC as part of its "Women in War Jobs" campaign.[2]
- "Crying Indian" anti-pollution campaign for Keep America Beautiful, was created in 1973 and won two Clio Awards[2]
- United Negro College Fund campaign, with its slogan "A mind is a terrible thing to waste", was created in 1972[2]
- McGruff campaign with its slogan "Take a bite out of crime" for the National Crime Prevention Council (in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice), was created in 1978[2]
- "Friends don't let friends drive drunk" campaign for the U.S. Department of Transportation until 2005[2]
- Smokey Bear campaign was created in 1944[2] to educate Americans about the harm wildfires could cause the war effort, and the danger that the Japanese might deliberately start forest fires by shelling the West Coast of the United States. It was 1947 when the iconic Smokey Bear phrase was finally coined: "Remember...only YOU can prevent forest fires!" [3]
- Vince and Larry, the Crash Test Dummies (1985-1999)[2]
Notes and References
- ^ Ad Council. "About Ad Council". http://www.adcouncil.org/default.aspx?id=68. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i http://www.adcouncil.org/timeline.html
- ^ http://www.smokeybear.com/vault/wartime_prevention.asp
- Robert Jackall and Janice M. Hirota, The Image Makers: Advertising, Public Relations, and the Ethos of Advocacy (University of Chicago, 2000). ISBN 0-226-38916-2 (paperback: ISBN 0-226-38917-0)
External links
- The Advertising Council official website
- Advertising Council archives
- Outdoor Advertising Association of America homepage
- Peggy Conlon, President and CEO on Radio program Political Inversion
- Advertising Council Retrospective on aef.com
- Ad Council's YouTube listing
- Guide to collections containing information on the Advertising Council at the Eisenhower Presidential Library
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
