Lumina Foundation for Education, American Council on Education and Ad Council Challenge Students to Take on the Tough Classes

Algebra II, Biology and Foreign Languages Come to Life in KnowHow2GO Ads Aimed at Preparing Students for College

NEW YORK, NY (May 14, 2008) /PRNewswire/ – The Advertising Council, Lumina Foundation for Education and the American Council on Education (ACE) are teaming up once again for the second year of the KnowHow2GO college access campaign. The new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) will have a new look, feel and focus. The campaign's website, www.KnowHow2GO.org, also features new content this week to coincide with the PSAs.

The KnowHow2GO campaign encourages low-income and first-generation students in grades 8 through 10 to take the steps necessary to prepare for college. The new television, radio, print, outdoor and Web PSAs stress taking on the "tough classes" as one of those important steps.

In addition to students, the KnowHow2GO campaign also targets their parents and adult influencers to encourage them to start the college preparation process early. Research conducted for the campaign showed that low-income and first-generation students have high aspirations for college, but do not have clear information on what steps they need to take. Campaign research also showed that in many low-income households, adults may provide moral support but with no college experience themselves, the students must take the lead in pursuing college.

Created pro bono by the ad agency Publicis in New York, the new ads use humor to communicate that preparing for college means taking the tough classes. Television and radio PSAs feature warrior characters personifying "Algebra II," "Biology" and "Foreign Languages" who challenge students in cage-like settings. Print ads feature boxing gloves and punching bags to motivate students to take on these challenges. New radio advertising created specifically for the Hispanic community is also available.

The PSAs direct audiences to an interactive website (www.KnowHow2GO.org) that delivers guiding information to students, parents and caring adults, and youth-serving organizations. Website updates and social media strategies include the following:

• Biographies of the characters in the ads are featured, and teens can send their friends "challenges" to take on tough classes via email and social networking sites.
• A new virtual, interactive campus tour, KnowHow2GO-U, allows students to explore a college campus at their own pace in a safe and fun environment (www.KnowHow2GO.org/campustour).
• The campaign characters have their own MySpace profiles, and are featured on YouTube and a new Facebook "Fan" page.

First launched in January 2007, KnowHow2GO is a unified, national PSA campaign that combines education, community-based and government partnerships to raise awareness about preparing for college and what it takes to get there.

According to research published in June 2005 in Postsecondary Education Opportunity, 75 percent of students from high-income families complete college by age 24; yet only 9 percent of students from low-income families complete college by this age. While high school sophomores report having college ambitions, only about one-half (51 percent) indicate they are enrolled in college preparatory programs (U.S. Department of Education).

"Research shows that in addition to their lack of awareness about how to prepare for college, students are often fearful of the challenging courses they need to take," said Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of the Ad Council. "This unique series of PSAs created by Publicis will entertain and empower young people to face their fears head-on, as they would any challenge. We are proud to continue our KnowHow2GO campaign with Lumina and ACE to help low-income students navigate their way to college."

In addition to the media components, KnowHow2GO utilizes a network of grassroots partners to reinforce the campaign's message in local communities. Several states, including California, Connecticut, Florida (Tampa Bay), Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin have joined the effort and plan to localize the campaign in their regions. Some will also localize the Spanish-language radio advertising. ACE will tap into the nearly 2,000 colleges and universities and higher education associations that comprise its membership to further expand the campaign's reach.

"We know that rigorous academic preparation combined with adequate financial support can level the playing field for low-income students who want to pursue a college education," said Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation for Education. "This campaign urges them to take the challenging courses that will give them the best chance of succeeding in college."

"We enjoyed tremendous success the first year of the campaign, and we are looking forward to reaching many more students and their families with the message of the importance of preparing for college," said Molly Corbett Broad, president of ACE. "Colleges and universities are looking for well-rounded students and this campaign offers an important resource in making sure students, and the adults they look to for guidance, get the information they need to be properly prepared for postsecondary education."

In the campaign's first year, donated media support totaled $53.6 million, ranking KnowHow2GO among the Ad Council's top-supported campaigns last year. As a result, the campaign's website (www.KnowHow2GO.org) has received more than 540,000 visits.

Additionally, nearly 820,000 brochures have been distributed to students and parents through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Education. The brochure, containing tips on preparing for college, can be accessed through the campaign's website and by calling a toll-free number (800) 433-3243. The Department provided fulfillment and printing costs for the brochure.

"The college admissions process has never been more competitive. Today, colleges are really looking at which students are truly prepared," said Rob Feakins, chief creative officer of Publicis New York. "The 'Tough' campaign encourages students to quite literally 'take on' the tougher courses by personifying biology, foreign languages and algebra as evil villains. In this way, the campaign makes a somewhat intimidating and stressful message more attention getting and light-hearted."

The PSAs are being distributed to 33,000 media outlets nationwide. Per the Ad Council's model, all of the new PSAs will air and run in advertising time and space that will be donated by the media. Additionally, posters featuring the new creative will be distributed to schools throughout the country in September.

Contacts:

Ellyn Fisher, The Ad Council, 212-984-1964, efisher@adcouncil.org
Kellee Edmonds, ACE, 202-939-9368, kellee_edmonds@ace.nche.edu
Susan Conner, Lumina Foundation, 317-951-5490
Christie Giera, Publicis New York, 212-279-5748, christine.giera@publicis-usa.com