Holdings College of Media Advertising Department Ad Council: Campaign Files Finding Aid Holdings College of Media Advertising Department Ad Council: Campaign Files Finding Aid Title: Ad Council: Campaign Files, 1966-2004
ID: 13/2/219
Primary Creator: Advertising Council
Extent: 12.5 cubic feet
Arrangement: chronological by receipt date, alphabetical thereunder
Subjects: Advertising Campaigns, Aging, American Economic System, Child Abuse, Council for Financial Aid to Education, Crime Prevention, Drug Abuse, Economic System, Health Careers, Higher Education, Financial Aid to, Job Creation, National Alliance of Businessmen, Nutrition, Public Service, Religion, Technical Education, United Negro College Fund, Veterans Employment, Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA)
Formats/Genres: Papers
Languages: English
Campaign Files of the Advertising Council's New York office campaign managers, including budgets, correspondence, campaign materials, proposals, reports and publications relating to campaigns involving ACTION/VISTA, aging, AIDS, Bicentennial of the Constitution, child abuse, crime prevention, direct deposits, drug abuse, the American Economic System, the Council for Financial Aid to Education (higher education), food and nutrition, health careers, Healthy Start, job creation for the National Alliance of Businessmen, Manpower, Mental illness, Productivity, Religion in American Life, Technical Education and Training, United Negro College Fund, United Way, USO, veterans employment, voting and others. Also includes lists of Ad Council campaigns since 1942.
The Advertising Council was formed in 1941 to use advertising to promote the public good. The advent of World War II accelerated the Council's growth, due to the increased need for public service messages to benefit the war effort. Beginning in 1942, the Council, then known as the "War Advertising Council," worked in conjunction with the Office of War Information.1 It sought to create campaigns and disseminate information inducing people to take "actions necessary to the speedy winning of the war.""2
Volunteerism was the main impetus for creating these campaigns. The Council appointed a volunteer campaign manager and a staff manager to oversee operations. These coordinators selected a task force from a list of volunteer agencies to work in concert with OWI and the government bureaus needing assistance. The completed campaigns went to advertisers, via sponsorship committees, who donated space and airtime for public service messages. 3 Campaigns during the 1942-45 period focused on women in the workforce, conservation projects, war bond sales, the Red Cross, forest fire prevention, victory in Japan, and anticipated peacetime problems.4
Upon the conclusion of WWII, the Council shifted to new projects, believing that its work would be just as essential during the rebuilding process as it was during the war. Its name changed from the "War Advertising Council" to "The Advertising Council." The name change coincided with the Council's consideration of requests from private organizations not connected with the government.
In 1945, the Council created the Public Advisory Committee.5 Comprised of private citizens from sectors having an interest in public issues, the committee reviewed requests for Council assistance. Acceptable requests had to be in the public interest, potentially successful via using advertising methods, timely, non-commercial, non-partisan, non-sectarian, and not designed to influence legislation. 6 Requests required a three-fourths vote of the committee for approval.7 In 1947, the "Public Advisory Committee" became the "Public Policy Committee," though its function remained the same. During that year, the Council created the Industries Advisory Committee Composed of business leaders, the committee advised the Council about projects under consideration that involved business, suggested new projects, advised the board of directors of Council operations, assisted with Council fund-raising, and developed greater public understanding of democratic government and the American Free Enterprise system. 8
In 1948, the Council's messages first appeared on television. Since then, with growing support from the business community, the Council's messages have focused on helping to solve national problems. Recent campaigns have centered on drunk driving, drug abuse, racism, and child abuse.
1. The Second Year of the War Advertising Council, March 1, 1943 to March 1, 1944, page 2.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid., page 4.
4. Ibid., pp. 5-7; Third Year...March 1, 1944 to March 1, 1945, pages 4-7.
5. The Fourth Year of the Advertising Council, March 1945 to March 1946, page 7.
6. Annual Report 1966-67, pages 3-4.
7. The Fourth Year, page 7.
8. The Sixth Year of the Advertising Council, March 1947 to March 1948, page 9.The Advertising Council was formed in 1941 to use advertising to promote the public good. The advent of World War II accelerated the Council's growth, due to the increased need for public service messages to benefit the war effort. Beginning in 1942, the Council, then known as the "War Advertising Council," worked in conjunction with the Office of War Information.
Advertising Campaigns
Aging
American Economic System
Child Abuse
Council for Financial Aid to Education
Crime Prevention
Drug Abuse
Economic System
Health Careers
Higher Education, Financial Aid to
Job Creation
National Alliance of Businessmen
Nutrition
Public Service
Religion
Technical Education
United Negro College Fund
Veterans Employment
Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA)
Repository: University of Illinois Archives
Accruals: 5/13/1987,4/2000, 2005, 2007
Other Note: 18 Pages
URL: https://files.archon.library.illinois.edu/uasfa/1302219.pdf
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