October 12, 2006 | Read Time: 2 minutes
The Ad Council, a New York charity that produces public-service advertisements, has started a campaign to encourage Americans to support good works.
Instead of promoting a specific charity or cause, as is the norm with such efforts, the charity says its Generous Nation campaign is designed “to motivate and inspire Americans to translate their everyday compassion and good intentions into action by giving more often, not just in times of crisis but throughout the year.”
The campaign features six television advertisements; in coming weeks, print, radio, Internet, and outdoor advertisements will be available. All will be built around its slogan: “Don’t almost give. Give.”
The 30-second television ads feature images of people in need, including hungry children sleeping in a car and a neglected elderly woman, while an announcer states that because people “almost gave” instead of offering real support, these individuals remain in distress.
“We want to stimulate people who intend to give, who identify themselves as givers, but at times throughout the year when they mean to give or volunteer, get distracted, get busy, or they forget,” says Peggy Conlon, chief executive officer of the Ad Council.
Ms. Conlon says the Generous Nation campaign is rooted in the experience of Hurricane Katrina and the Southeast Asian tsunamis, when images of the turmoil helped spark an outpouring of giving. Its aim is to “remind people about others in need,” she says.
National Effort
The ads have begun airing in New York, and by month’s end should be distributed to cable and broadcast channels and networks across the country.
Usually charities or government agencies pay to produce and distribute messages created by the Ad Council. While much of the creative work of developing the Generous Nation ads was provided pro bono, the Ad Council itself will pay the estimated $500,000 the campaign will cost to produce.
United Way of America’s president, Brian Gallagher, says the ads could have a big effect by placing “the need for charitable giving out in front of folks over an extended period of time.”
The Generous Nation ads can be viewed online at a site that also provides information about dozens of charities seeking donations or volunteers.
