Mission:
 To identify a select number of significant public issues and stimulate action on those issues through communications programs that make a measurable difference in society.

Background:
 For nearly seventy years, the Ad Council has marshalled volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public. Since creating the category of public service advertisements (PSAs) in 1942, the organization has played an increasingly vital role in our changing society. Founded as the War Advertising Council to rally support for World War II-related efforts, the organization's earliest achievements included campaigns such as "Loose Lips Sink Ships" and "Rosie the Riveter." In 1945, President Franklin Roosevelt asked the War Ad Council to prepare to transition to a peacetime organization with a focus on the most pressing issues of the day. In the decades since, the Ad Council has created a variety of timely and compelling public service messages that have become part of American culture — from "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires" (featuring Smokey the Bear) and "Take A Bite Out of Crime" (with McGruff the Crime Dog) to the United Negro College Fund's "A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste."

Outstanding Web Features:

The Ad Council's recently redesigned site features new tools designed to heighten awareness of the issues addressed by its PSA campaigns, inspire Americans to take action, and serve as a comprehensive resource for its media partners, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. Among other things, visitors to the site can browse creative work produced by volunteer ad agencies for the council's fifty national PSA campaigns; preview and download PSAs made for television; explore case studies and watch video testimonials to learn more about the organization's impact; share content with family and friends on Facebook and Twitter; and read its social marketing blog, AdLibbing. The site also offers a timeline of the council's history.