Ad Council

The Advertising Council, mostly called the Ad Council, is an American non-profit organization that creates public service announcements on behalf of sponsors, including non-profit organizations and the United States government.

The Advertising Council does not make public service advertisements for itself but it acts as a creator of them for others. The Advertising Council allows sponsor organizations to create advertising that are on social issues as well.

History
The Advertising Council was created in 1941, and shortly after, in February 1942, it was registered as The War Advertising Council for the purpose of being in the advertising industry in support of the Second World War effort. Early ads tried to tell people about the purchase of war bonds and saving of war things.

After the Second World War, the War Advertising Council changed its name to the Advertising Council and shifted its focus to peacetime ads. In 1945, the Ad Council began working with the National Safety Council.

Famous campaigns
 "Crying Indian" anti-pollution ad for Keep America Beautiful, was created in 1973 and won two Clio Awards
 United Negro College Fund, with its slogan "A mind is a terrible thing to waste", was created in 1972
 McGruff ad with its slogan "Take a bite out of crime" for the National Crime Prevention Council (along with the U.S. Department of Justice), was created in 1978
 "Friends don't let friends drive drunk" ad for the U.S. Department of Transportation until 2005
 Smokey Bear campaign was created in 1944 to tell Americans about the harm wildfires could cause the war effort, and the danger that the Japanese might start forest fires on the West Coast of the United States. It was 1947 when the Smokey Bear phrase was made: "Remember...only YOU can prevent forest fires!" 
 Vince and Larry, the Crash Test Dummies (1985–1999)
 "I am an American" (2001-present) -- an ad launched in wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack about the people in America.  The ad has people of many people looking in the camera and simply saying, "I am an American."
 Energy Hog

Organizations done by the Ad Council
Autism Speaks
Give Kids The World Village
Keep America Beautiful
National Crime Prevention Council
United Negro College Fund
United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Transportation
WIC

Notes and references

Robert Jackall and Janice M. Hirota, The Image Makers: Advertising, Public Relations, and the Ethos of Advocacy (University of Chicago, 2000).  (paperback: )

Other websites
The Advertising Council official website
Advertising Council archives 
Outdoor Advertising Association of America homepage
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 

Category:Advertising
Category:Non-profit organizations of the United States
Category:1941 establishments in the United States