According to a new survey from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Ad Council, one in three millennials (34 percent) ranked saving as their number one goal for the year – ahead of living a healthy lifestyle (20 percent), paying off debt (19 percent), and losing weight (14 percent). But while saving was a top priority, a majority of millennials attributed their lack of saving to impulse buying (65 percent).
For older millennials, those born between the early 1980’s and early 1990’s, saving is crucial as they work towards major milestones in their lives. When asked what they were saving money towards, respondents sought to secure their future by saving for an emergency fund (40 percent), saving for retirement (22 percent) or starting a family (15 percent). They also reported saving for larger purchases like a vacation (36 percent), a new house (27 percent), a car (26 percent), home improvements (20 percent), or a wedding (8 percent). To provide Americans aged 25 to 34 with the tips and tools to take control of their personal finances, AICPA and the Ad Council’s national advertising campaign, Feed the Pig, is continuing to collaborate with new partners to deliver this critical content in a relevant and engaging way.
“Many young adults think saving is impossible,” said Gregory Anton, CPA, CGMA, chair of the AICPA’s National CPA Financial Literacy Commission. “While low salaries and high debt levels can certainly be barriers to saving, the key is to create a budget and stick to it. Establishing a disciplined saving strategy early in life and avoiding missteps will reap substantial long-term dividends.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7790851-ad-council-feed-the-pig/
The Ad Council and the Natural Resources Defense Council today launched “Save The Food,” a major national public service campaign to combat food waste from its largest source—consumers, who collectively waste more food than grocery stores, restaurants or farms. The initiative hopes to encourage consumers to reduce the amount of food they trash in their homes, thereby saving the water, energy and money that are lost along with it. Watch the TV ad here.
“As it turns out, we can’t blame the epidemic of food waste on our kids’ aversion to vegetables. We’re all culprits here, tossing out staggering amounts of food in kitchens nationwide,” said NRDC President Rhea Suh. “But with small steps, we can save large amounts of food —and along with it, money and precious natural resources. The more food we save, the more we can share with hungry Americans, the more we can reduce climate pollution, and the more water won’t go to waste.”
In the U.S., 40 percent of all food goes uneaten each year, at a cost of $162 billion annually. Consumers are responsible for 40 percent of this waste—more than any other part of the supply chain. It’s a problem that costs the average family of four roughly $1,500 per year.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7808251-ad-council-save-the-food/
Today the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Ad Council and Project Yellow Light announced the winners of the fifth annual Project Yellow Light scholarship competition. The contest calls on students to develop and produce a short video educating their peers on the dangers of using mobile devices behind the wheel of a vehicle. For the first time, Clear Channel Outdoor Americas has joined longstanding partners Mazda Motorsports, the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) and U-Haul to launch the first Project Yellow Light out-of-home media design contest. The winners of both the video and out-of-home design contests will be unveiled this afternoon on a digital billboard in New York’s Times Square that was donated by Clear Channel Outdoor.
Brothers Sam and Wrenn Senser from Louisville, Nebr. scooped the two grand prizes of $5,000 for the video contest, with Sam winning the college category, and Wrenn winning the high school category. The winners of the out-of-home media design contest were college student Bethany Wheeler from Snellville, Ga., and high school student Emily McDonald from Anaheim, Calif., with both receiving $2,000 scholarships. The winning videos can be viewed here.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7854051-ad-council-project-yellow-light-winners/
The Ad Council today launched a groundbreaking public service campaign designed to encourage audiences to welcome and support refugees who have recently resettled in the U.S. The campaign aims to raise awareness, dispel misconceptions and connect audiences to EmbraceRefugees.org where they can learn more about the issue and find local resources to assist refugees in their communities. Launching to coincide with World Refugee Day, the integrated effort was developed with creative firm Tongal and its global network of filmmakers, marking the first time in the Ad Council’s 75-year history the organization has created a new campaign through crowdsourcing. The public service ads (PSAs) debuted this morning and will be distributed to media outlets nationwide this week.
“America has a proud legacy of welcoming refugees. In return, they serve their communities and our country -- as teachers and soccer coaches, as nurses and engineers, and as members of our armed forces,” said Heather Higginbottom, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources. “Refugees are thoroughly checked and we apply the highest security standards, so every community can welcome those who are resettling with open arms, as we would with any new neighbors.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7856251-ad-council-embrace-refugees/
To coincide with Independence Day, the Ad Council, R/GA and an unprecedented group of brands launched “We Are America,” an extension of the iconic Love Has No Labels campaign, explaining that love for country is love for the people who make up this country. The new PSAs, featuring WWE Superstar John Cena, continue to further the campaign message of acceptance of all communities regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age and ability. Love Has No Labels encourages audiences to recognize their implicit bias – biases that live in our subconscious – in order to promote inclusion. “We Are America” invites everyone to submit their photos to demonstrate the true diversity that makes up America. Upworthy, a 2015 campaign launch partner, shared “We Are America” on its social platforms and will be creating a series of videos launching in the coming months to help further the campaign message.
More than 10 million (1 in 6) seniors in the U.S. face the threat of hunger and more than 15 million (1 in 4) are living in isolation. Meals on Wheels America is a national network of local community organizations that deliver meals, friendly visits and safety checks to our nation’s most vulnerable seniors. With the senior population projected to double by 2050, and an aging volunteer base, Meals on Wheels America, in partnership with the Ad Council, is launching its first national integrated campaign this summer to recruit a new pipeline of volunteers to meet the growing need.
Every day, Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver one million meals and smiles to seniors in need across the country. The current network represents more than 5,000 local programs in virtually every community in America and relies on an army of two million volunteers to deliver meals five days a week, typically between 11 am and 1 pm. Beyond providing nutrition, delivering a meal also provides a moment of human connection that nourishes both the senior and the volunteer. For many seniors, the volunteer may be the only person they will see that day. According to a survey of current Meals on Wheels volunteers, more than 75 percent are over the age of 55, and the average age of volunteers is 62, making it critical to recruit additional volunteers to keep the wheels rolling for future generations.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7867951-ad-council-meals-on-wheels/
In honor of Smokey Bear’s 72nd birthday, the Ad Council, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) launched a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) that aim to help prevent wildfires nationwide by increasing awareness about less commonly known ways that wildfires can start. The new “Rise from the Ashes” campaign uses wildfire ashes as an artistic medium to illustrate the devastation caused by wildfires and highlight less obvious wildfire causes.
“Education is a critical part of reducing the number of unwanted, human-caused wildfires we experience every year,” said U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Jim Hubbard. “We believe that this new iteration of Smokey Bear’s long-running PSA campaign will demonstrate campfires are not the only way to start a wildfire and that Smokey Bear is counting on them to take action to prevent accidental fire starts.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7896651-ad-council-smokey-bear-wildfire-psa/
The Ad Council and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation today launched new public service ads (PSAs) to support their national Finish Your Diploma campaign to provide adults with the information and encouragement needed to earn a high school equivalency diploma. The new PSAs celebrate adult learners in America and reinforce the idea that no one does it alone.
“As adults are considering finishing their diploma, often the greatest challenge is simply knowing where to go for support and having the courage to take the first step towards completing their diploma,” said Denine Torr of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “By coupling real stories with information about free local adult education classes and resources, we hope the new commercials will inspire and empower individuals to pursue their dreams through education.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7900051-ad-council-dollar-general-finish-your-diploma/
Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization, has partnered with the Ad Council and McCann New York to launch new public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to raise awareness about child hunger in the United States. Featuring the voice of celebrity activist Julianne Moore, who volunteered her time and talent, the PSAs call upon Americans to help children facing hunger in America by supporting the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7909951-feeding-america-ad-council-julianne-moore/
Although many Americans think they are financially savvy, new data shows how the group closest to retirement, baby boomers, struggles with retirement fundamentals and is not saving enough for their golden years. New data released by the Indexed Annuity Leadership Council shows that many baby boomers aren’t financially prepared for retirement – they have little saved, are consumed about lifetime income options, and don’t know how much money they need to live comfortably.
Many baby boomers are banking on Social Security as a main stream of money for retirement. Yet, more than half of boomers cannot correctly guess the average monthly Social Security payment. In fact, many think the average monthly payment is $500 more than it actually is – a budget miscalculation that will leave them almost a quarter of a million dollars short over a 30-year retirement.
Council Connections, a leading national group purchasing organization (GPO), today revealed its new brand including a modernized company name, logo and website. With a nod to its nearly 40-year legacy, combined with a link to the future, Council Connections becomes CNECT (“connect”) with a tagline of Every Link Stronger.
“CNECT embodies our history of service excellence while better describing the undeniable link and connection that exist between us and our members,” says Henry Tuttle, president and board chair of CNECT. “We believe organizations can better focus on their customers if they are connected to a group purchasing organization that offloads the heavy lifting, helping them improve operational efficiencies, while reducing costs through contracts, collaboration and supply chain strategies.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7958451-council-connections-rebrands-as-cnect/
Today, the Ad Council in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, AdoptUSKids, and KBS launched new public service advertisements (PSAs) for the award-winning Adoption from Foster Care campaign. The new television and radio PSAs encourage the adoption of older youth from foster care.
Of the 428,000 youth under the age of 18 in the U.S. foster care system, 112,000 are currently waiting for adoptive families, according to the most recent Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data. Since the project’s launch in 2002, more than 26,000 children who were once photo listed on the AdoptUSKids website have been placed with permanent families. However, older youth and teens have lower adoption rates than younger children, and they often wait longer to be adopted. Currently, of the 5,560 youth photo-listed on the website as available for adoption, 43% are between the ages of 15 and 18 years old.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7979251-ad-council-adoptuskids-adopt-from-foster-care/
