Ad Council and Dollar General Literacy Foundation Launch New PSAs to Provide Young Adults the Motivation to Achieve their GED® Diploma

NEW YORK, April 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 34.6 million adults ages 18 and above do not have a high school diploma. In an effort to combat this critical issue, the Ad Council and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation joined today to launch new public service advertisements (PSAs) on behalf of their national GED Achievement campaign.  This multimedia campaign is designed to provide high school dropouts the encouragement and information needed to begin the road to a GED diploma.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/55571-ad-council-dollar-general-literacy-foundation-your-ged-pep-talks-psa

Recent data shows that students who drop out of high school tend to earn less and have a lower quality of life. Many of them must work multiple jobs just to support their family. Moreover, as of 2009, nearly 30% of adults with household incomes at or below the federal poverty line did not have a high school credential.

"Through this campaign, we hope to inspire students of all ages to complete their high school education by pursuing a GED," said Susan Lanigan, member of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation Board of Directors. "The PSAs were designed to provide the necessary tools and resources to help people get started on the road to a brighter future with a GED."

Created pro bono by DDB Chicago, the new TV, radio, outdoor and online PSAs encourage viewers to get the motivation they need to obtain their GED through a "Pep Talk" from one of many celebs including Jamie Lynn Sigler (The Sopranos), Jerry Stiller (Seinfeld), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future) and The Miz (WWE Superstar). Through these funny and inspiring "Pep Talks," the PSAs show that getting a GED diploma gives you access to more possibilities in life – further education, better positions, and more confidence in yourself.

The ads, also available in Spanish, direct young adults to a toll free number (877-38-YOURGED) and the campaign website, www.yourged.org where you can find referrals to free local GED programs and information on the GED diploma process. Additionally, the site offers a zip-code search for local literacy centers, the hotline number, the simple 6-step process towards earning your GED, and inspirational stories from young adults who have earned their GED.

Additionally, for the first time in the organization's history, Ad Council PSAs will be seen on cinema theaters. The Ad Council is partnering with Screenvision, a leading innovator in cinema advertising and alternative content programming, to run the GED PSAs nationally in their theaters during their new 20-minute pre-movie show content.

Initially launched in 2010, the campaign has generated more than 35,000 calls to the call center. Furthermore, nearly 75% of callers reported learning about the toll-free number from the PSA campaign. Furthermore, the GED Achievement campaign was recently awarded the ARF gold Ogilvy award for the nonprofit-government-public service category.  The Ogilvy recognizes extraordinary use of research in the advertising development process. 

"These clever ads are a wonderful extension of our campaign and I believe they will help give young adults the motivation and the drive they need to take the necessary steps to achieve their GED diploma," said Peggy Conlon, president & CEO of the Ad Council. "Our goal is to encourage all young adults that haven't received a high school diploma to utilize the free resources given by their communities to help them get their GED and ultimately make a better life for themselves and their families."

"We believe in two things, education and the ability of communication to inspire action so that people realize their full potential," said Peter McGuinness, CEO DDB Chicago. "By partnering with the Ad Council and Dollar General Literacy Foundation we're collectively able to help encourage people to complete their GED and actively shape their lives in the process."

Per the Ad Council model, the PSAs will be distributed to media outlets nationwide this week and will run and air in advertising time and space that is donated by the media.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is proud to support initiatives that help others improve their lives through literacy and education.  Since 1993, the Foundation has awarded more than $64.5 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 3.7 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma or English proficiency.  To learn more about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, visit www.dgliteracy.org.

DDB Chicago

DDB Worldwide Communications Group Inc (www.ddb.com) is the largest consolidated advertising and marketing services global network, according to Advertising Age. DDB has also been frequently ranked as the most awarded agency network in the world by Creativity magazine and The Gunn Report. In 2009 DDB was named Global Network of the Year by Campaign magazine and Tribal DDB Digital Agency of the Year by Media. 2006. In 2007 Tribal DDB was named Global Agency Network of the year by Ad Age. With more than 200 offices in over 90 countries, the DDB Group believes that creativity is the most powerful force in business, building enduring and powerful brand experiences that create TalkValueT, influence social communities and drive results.  DDB is part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC).

The Advertising Council

The Ad Council (www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies. The Ad Council addresses issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

GED® and GED Testing Service® are registered trademarks of the American Council on Education and may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of the American Council on Education.

SOURCE The Ad Council