The spots stress that most Americans care about social problems but do little or nothing to address them. One spot shows person-on-the-street interviews in which individuals identify problems they consider important, such as education, racism and women's rights. When asked what they personally are doing about these, the individuals are stumped. The ad ends with the message, "Keep freedom strong. Exercise it." (To view this and other ads in the campaign, go to www.explorefreedomusa.org/hear/index.html. This ad is entitled, "Ummm.")
The Ad Council is making these ads freely available for nonprofits and others to highlight on websites. The spots are designed to air through the Internet as well as on television, in newspapers, and on the radio.
The new series of advertisements push Americans to find out more at a new website, www.explorefreedomusa.org. The ads are part of the Ad Council's Campaign for Freedom, created in response to the events of September 11, by a leading advertising agency working with college students at Virginia Commonwealth University. The Council convened academics, entertainment executives and public interest advocates to help inform its strategy. Previous ads are available at www.rememberfreedom.org.