- Timed to the 80th anniversary of the Smokey Bear wildfire prevention campaign, the USDA Forest Service, National Association of State Foresters and the Ad Council have launched a nostalgia-driven public service commercial, per a press release.
- The ad, titled “Decades,” guides viewers through five decades to revisit a few of the Smokey Bear character’s past safety messages, with actor Brian Tyree Henry serving as the voice of the iconic bear. The spot was handled pro bono by creative agency FCB.
- FCB also teamed with illustrator Sam Gilbey for vintage movie posters that mirror Smokey’s ‘50s, ‘70s and ‘80s decades. The campaign will span TV, radio, print, out-of-home and digital channels nationally alongside other anniversary celebrations throughout the yr.
Over the past 80 years, Smokey Bear’s iconic line, “Only you’ll be able to prevent wildfires,” has stood the test of time, holding strong through an evolution that has seen the campaign character appear on lunchboxes, stamps, social media and as an animated emoji. To have a good time his ongoing legacy, the USDA Forest Service, National Association of State Foresters and Ad Council is rewinding the clock in an ode to all of the preventative suggestions shared by the iconic bear over the decades.
Behind the 80th anniversary ad is FCB, the creative agency tied to Smokey Bear since his 1944 introduction. The spot, “Decades,” emotionally walks viewers through five previous decades to share wildfire prevention suggestions — like the way to safely construct a fireplace or what to do with hot coals — while highlighting Smokey’s generational impact. Smokey Bear is voiced in the ad by actor Henry (“Atlanta”). Other stars who’ve lent their voice to the brand character have included Sam Elliot and Stephen Colbert.
Along with the “Decades” spot, FCB worked with illustrator Gilbey for vintage movie posters that portray nostalgic versions of Smokey while highlighting various fire prevention suggestions, with the bear featured in each poster as “the protagonist of American culture’s wildfire prevention movie,” per the release. Nostalgia has been a preferred tactic amongst marketers nowadays, with others, like McDonald’s and PepsiCo, similarly seeking to the past for creative marketing inspiration.
A dramatic retelling of Smokey’s legacy could possibly be exactly what consumers have to keep wildfire suggestions front of mind — though that isn’t to say they’ve ever really forgotten. Smokey Bear features in what’s billed as America’s longest-running PSA campaign, with 80% of people in a 2023 survey appropriately naming Smokey Bear based on his image. Half of respondents indicated knowing suggestions related to stopping wildfires, per release details.
Elevating the teachings of Smokey Bear reflects the ongoing need for education around wildfire prevention, with nearly nine of 10 unwanted wildfires attributable to humans, per data shared in the press release.
“As the national wildfire crisis grows in severity, with every year bringing unprecedented wildfire activity to latest states, taking significant tolls on resources, responders and our forest lands, the imperative of Smokey’s message has to grow right together with it,” said Scott Phillips, South Carolina state forester and president of the National Association of State Foresters, in the release.
Along with the latest ad, Smokey Bear can be celebrated throughout the yr via social media, brand partnerships and at national and native events. The national campaign represents an extension of the USDA Forest Service, National Association of State Foresters and Ad Council’s ongoing collaboration around stopping unintended, human-caused wildfires.
Read the full article here
