The Afterschool Alliance (www.afterschoolnow.org), supported by the Ad Council and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, are running a public service ad campaign that appears to ridicule Masters swimmers. According to Alliance’s website, “These PSAs use humor to communicate the importance of taking action to support afterschool programs. The campaign includes TV and radio spots, newspaper ads, billboards, web banners and more.”
One print ad has a facial portrait of a smiling, senior gentleman in a pool, obviously a happy swimmer, with swimming goggles on. Superimposed over the portrait are the following words: “There’s nothing more REFRESHING than neglecting our nation’s YOUTH.” At the bottom, the ad continues to say: “When I don’t support afterschool programs, I feel so relaxed and carefree. It’s like I’m doing nothing at all! Unless you call depriving 15 million kids something…”
You can download a copy of the ad from the following website:
www.afterschoolnow.org/print_ads.cfm
Open letter to: banners@adcouncil.org, info@afterschoolalliance.org, info@mott.org
Any successful ad needs to clearly communicate its message in a memorable way, better yet if it encourages you act. While I am sure none of us need a lesson in Marketing 101, the recent ads on www.afterschoolnow.org/print_ads.cfm fall far, far from that standard.
Showing healthy people leading active lives and then critizing those people for their active lives is hardly appropriate, memorable in a positive light, nor does it encourage me to act. In fact it has the opposite effect in that I would absolutely not be inclined to help such an inflamatory organization.
Clearly the better approach would be to reach out to these active people, encouraging them to share their passions and interests with children. These healthy happy people probably have solid skills/personalities/disiplines you should celebrate. Instead you have polarized yourself from people such as myself.
I hope you vigorously rethink the intent and effect these ads will have on people who lead active lives and are proud of it.
Chris Beardsley
Open letter to: banners@adcouncil.org, info@afterschoolalliance.org, info@mott.org
Any successful ad needs to clearly communicate its message in a memorable way, better yet if it encourages you act. While I am sure none of us need a lesson in Marketing 101, the recent ads on www.afterschoolnow.org/print_ads.cfm fall far, far from that standard.
Showing healthy people leading active lives and then critizing those people for their active lives is hardly appropriate, memorable in a positive light, nor does it encourage me to act. In fact it has the opposite effect in that I would absolutely not be inclined to help such an inflamatory organization.
Clearly the better approach would be to reach out to these active people, encouraging them to share their passions and interests with children. These healthy happy people probably have solid skills/personalities/disiplines you should celebrate. Instead you have polarized yourself from people such as myself.
I hope you vigorously rethink the intent and effect these ads will have on people who lead active lives and are proud of it.
Chris Beardsley
