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AD COUNCIL, WIRELESS FOUNDATION, NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHILDREN AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LAUNCH WIRELESS AMBER ALERTS™ PROGRAM DURING ADVERTISING WEEK 2007
New TV, radio, and print PSAs encourage all wireless subscribers to aid in the search for abducted children
NEW YORK – The Advertising Council, in partnership with The Wireless Foundation, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the U.S. Department of Justice, today launched a weeklong Wireless AMBER Alerts™ campaign during Advertising Week 2007 (Sept. 24-28) in New York City. The campaign, which aims to encourage millions of Americans to sign up for free wireless text message alerts and to help law enforcement safely recover abducted children, features new TV, radio, and print public service advertisements (PSAs) created pro bono by ad agency Merkley + Partners in New York.
Statistics show that when a child is abducted, the first three hours are most critical to recovery efforts. Initially launched in May 2005, the Wireless AMBER Alerts initiative is a way to extend the AMBER Alert program by reaching out to the nearly 70 percent of the American population that uses wireless devices. Since its creation, the AMBER Alert program has helped reunite more than 360 children with their families.
In addition to the new traditional PSAs, the Wireless AMBER Alerts campaign will be featured on phone kiosks, billboards, web banners and the Panasonic screen in Times Square. Additionally, egrips® Technology (www.egrips.com) has donated 100,000 protective wireless device appliqués with the campaign’s creative to be distributed by Massive Media (www.massivemediainc.com) at Advertising Week events and high-traffic locations, including Grand Central Station, the Port Authority and Times Square. The wireless carriers serving New York (AT&T, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless) will also help raise awareness of the campaign in their retail locations.
“Our unique partnership with NCMEC, The Wireless Foundation and the U.S. Department of Justice has had extraordinary results to date,” said Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of The Advertising Council. “We are excited to debut this new series of PSAs during Advertising Week and to urge the entire advertising industry, as well as all wireless subscribers, to sign up for Alerts and help abducted children.”
"Today, we have the power of technology to extend the reach of law enforcement with Wireless AMBER Alerts,” said Steve Largent, president and CEO of CTIA–The Wireless Association® and president of The Wireless Foundation. “We hope these new PSAs will encourage the nearly 242 million wireless subscribers nationwide to sign up to receive free text messages and aid in the return of an abducted child.”
All wireless subscribers who are capable of receiving text messages, and whose wireless carrier participates in the Wireless AMBER Alerts initiative, may opt in to receive free Alerts by registering at www.wirelessamberalerts.org or registering at their wireless carrier’s Web site. Most eligible wireless subscribers can also text message the keyword “AMBER” followed by a space and their five-digit ZIP code to short code AMBER (26237).
"These public service advertisements are an important reminder that everyone with a wireless device can join in the search for abducted children,” said NCMEC president and CEO Ernie Allen. “A few minutes spent registering to receive Wireless AMBER Alerts can save the life of a child, thanks to the efforts of the organizations and companies involved in this initiative.”
The AMBER (“America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response”) Alert initiative was created in 1996 when Dallas-Fort Worth broadcasters teamed with local police to develop an early warning system to find abducted children. The AMBER Alert program was soon adopted across the country and is a legacy to the memory of Amber Hagerman, a 9-year-old girl who was kidnapped in Arlington, Texas and then murdered. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have since established AMBER Alert programs.
To learn more about the Wireless AMBER Alerts campaign and the partners, please visit www.wirelessamberalerts.org. To view the new PSAs, please visit http://www.adcouncil.org/default.aspx?id=354.
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About The Advertising Council
The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization with a rich history of marshalling volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public. Having produced literally thousands of PSA campaigns addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has effected, and continues to affect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action and saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit www.adcouncil.org.
About Advertising Week
Advertising Week is North America’s largest annual gathering of advertising and media industry decision-makers. Now in its fourth year, Advertising Week combines keynotes and panels, special events, awards shows, and major meetings and conferences. Advertising Week was founded by the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAAs) but now stands on its own as a distinct not-for-profit corporation and is governed by an independent Board of Directors. The 2007 edition of Advertising Week will take place in New York City from September 24-28. For more information about Advertising Week, visit www.advertisingweek.com.
About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children®
NCMECis a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. NCMEC's congressionally mandated CyberTipline, a reporting mechanism for child sexual exploitation, has handled more than 500,000 leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement with more than 133,000 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of more than 115,700 children. For more information about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit www.missingkids.com.
About The Wireless Foundation
The Wireless Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was formed by member companies of CTIA-The Wireless Association® in 1991. The Foundation oversees a number of programs designed to put wireless technology to work addressing the challenges of society.
www.wirelessfoundation.org.
About the U.S. Department of Justice
The Department of Justice's mission is to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans. www.usdoj.gov
About Merkley + Partners
Merkley + Partners is a full service, integrated marketing communications firm specializing in Consumer Advertising. Founded in 1993, M+P currently has 214 employees and manages over $500MM in client billing. Headquartered in New York City, clients include: Arby’s Restaurant Group, Citigroup, E-Loan, the Ferrero Company, Mercedes-Benz, Novartis and several others. M+P is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC), a leading global marketing and communications company. www.merkleyandpartners.com
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