Public Service Advertising

If you have watched TV over the last ten or twenty years you probably know about Smokey Bear, McGruff the Crime Dog, and the Crash Test Dummies. They are characters from commercials created by the Ad Council. The Ad Council’s mission is to zero in on a significant public problem and stimulate change through highly creative campaigns that are widely distributed. The various creative agencies that have volunteered their services created Smokey Bear to raise awareness about forest fires, McGruff the Crime Dog to encourage crime prevention, and the Crash Test Dummies that used humor to encourage people to buckle their seat belts. All their campaigns are done in conjuction with a nonprofit or government agency such as the US Dept. of Health and Human Services. In 2004 the Ad Council decided to tackle obesity. The campaign encompasses television, radio, and print, and relays the message that small steps can be taken to become healthy. click here Reading the Ad Council’s white papers on obesity prevention provided me with a lot of insight into their research and strategy. They have a very clear target audience, and specific campaign objectives. Facts and statistics regarding the audience and subject also play a major role. I also discovered theories on social learning and behavior change that they refer to in their research.

According to the Ad Council’s Obesity Prevention white paper, “most adults are knowledgeable of the benefits of eating less fat and more fruits and vegetables, but lack the motivation and skills to maintain healthier diets and behaviors in their daily routines over long periods of time. Weight loss efforts are often motivated by special needs or occasions. People have intention to change, but require social support, suggestions, and skills that can be adapted and maintained in their busy lives over time.” The diagram below (redesigned by me of course) appeared in this document and I think it perfectly illustrates the thought process that individuals go through when contemplating change.