WASHINGTON, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of
Smokey Bear's 73rd
birthday, the Ad Council, the U.S. Forest Service and the National
Association of State Foresters launched new digital-first videos
and artwork inspired by beloved Smokey
Bear posters to raise awareness of lesser known wildfire
starts in an effort to decrease human-caused wildfires. The new
artwork was created by Brian Edward
Miller, Evan Hecox,
Janna Mattia and Victoria Ying, portraying Smokey Bear in each of their unique styles.
Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8151151-ad-council-wildfire-prevention-psa-campaign/
"Humans cause nearly 90 percent of all wildfires nationwide,
which today burn hotter and longer, destroying millions of forested
acres and homes; Smokey needs our help now more than ever," says
U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. "It is helpful to provide
information to children and adults about the less commonly known
wildfire causes such as improperly burning debris and not fully
extinguishing ashes and hot coals. By bringing awareness and
inspiring responsibility, we hope to show how important it is to be
mindful of how everyday activities can start harmful fires."
FCB West has proudly developed pro bono public service
announcements (PSAs) for Smokey
Bear, longest-running public service advertising campaign in
U.S. history, since his birth in 1944. The new digital-first videos
and new artwork will be supported by an extensive social media
program, including Smokey Bear's
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.
"We're thrilled to continue to evolve Smokey Bear's beloved look and digital presence,
while harkening back to the campaign's beginning in the 1940s when
we all fell in love with him. FCB has worked on this campaign for
73 years, representing the longest pro bono agency partnership in
U.S. history, and these new videos and artwork beautifully extend
Smokey's message of personal responsibility," shares Lisa Sherman, president and CEO of Ad
Council.
"It's always wildfire season somewhere in the United States, and State Foresters
experience first-hand the many causes of wildfires beyond abandoned
campfires—improper burning of debris, dumping hot ashes, and
others. The new Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention Campaign's creative
elements will help state forestry agencies continue to educate the
public in an effort to help reduce the number of human-caused
wildfires," said Bill Crapser,
Wyoming State Forester and president of the National Association of
State Foresters.
Smokey Bear has been a recognized
symbol of wildfire prevention since August
9, 1944. Although progress has been made, wildfires remain
one of the most critical environmental issues affecting the U.S.
On average, nearly nine out of 10 wildfires nationwide today
are caused by people. In addition to the causes depicted in the new
PSAs, the main causes of wildfire include campfires or warming
fires being left unattended or improperly extinguished, debris
burning on windy days, improper discarding of smoking materials or
BBQ coals, and operating equipment without spark arrestors.
"Smokey Bear has long been
synonymous with wildfire prevention education and the great
outdoors. This new digital campaign unexpectedly brings
Smokey Bear out of the woods and
into engaging and relatable interactions with people. This
evolution in the iconic figure of Smokey
Bear brings him closer to a younger audience and further
cements his reputation as wildfire prevention's most loveable
spokesperson," said Joe Oh, CEO and President FCB West
The Ad Council will distribute the new digital-first videos and
artwork across Smokey Bear's social
media channels as well as smokeybear.com and the new Spanish language
website smokeybear.com/es. Per the
organization's model, the assets will be promoted and run in
advertising time and space that is entirely donated. Over the last
73 years, media outlets have donated more than $1 billion in time and space for the Wildfire
Prevention campaign.
U.S. Forest Service
The U.S. Forest Service is the
agency responsible for overseeing the use of Smokey Bear in cooperation with the National
Association of State Foresters and the Ad Council. The U.S.
Forest Service manages 193 million acres of national forests and
grasslands for the American Public. Its mission is to sustain the
health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation's forests and
grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.
National Association of State Foresters
The National
Association of State Foresters (NASF) is a non-profit organization
composed of the directors of forestry agencies in the states,
territories and the District of
Columbia of the United
States. NASF represents state and territorial forester
interests by influencing forest policy and leading efforts to
optimize social, economic, and environmental benefits of trees and
forests. As a partner with the U.S. Forest Service, State Foresters
are committed to the continued delivery of Smokey Bear's message of personal responsibility
in wildfire protection. Learn more at www.stateforesters.org.
The Ad Council
The Ad Council is a private, non-profit
organization with a rich history of marshalling volunteer talent
from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical
messages to the American public. Having produced literally
thousands of PSA campaigns addressing the most pressing social
issues of the day, the Ad Council has affected, and continues to
affect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring
action and saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its
campaigns, visit www.adcouncil.org, like us on Facebook,
follow us on Twitter and Instagram or view our PSAs on
YouTube.
FCB
With more than 140 years of communications
expertise, FCB's worldwide network spans 150 offices in 90
countries, with over 8,000 people, and is part of the Interpublic
Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG). For more information, visit
www.fcb.com. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram (@FCBglobal)
and Facebook (FCB Global).
View original
content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-smokey-bear-digital-first-creative-highlights-lesser-known-wildfire-causes-300501623.html
SOURCE The Ad Council