Ad Campaign Promotes Charitable Giving

Hoping to build upon the outpouring of donations that followed the 2001 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina, and other catastrophes, the Advertising Council today is announcing a campaign to persuade Americans to act on their charitable impulses, The New York Times reports.

The goal of the ads, which will appear on television and radio, and on a special Web site, is to determine “how we might tap into that generosity once these tragedies are off the front pages,” said Peggy Conlon, the council’s chief executive. The campaign also hopes to tap into a growing interest in volunteer work.

So far, CBS, Cablevision Systems, Comcast Spotlight, Fox Networks Group, and several other entertainment and news-media corporations have agreed to donate free commercial time.

The Advertising Council is a nonprofit group that coordinates public-service campaigns.