New PSAs, Featuring the Voice of Forest Whitaker, Support Findings that 89 Percent of Men Surveyed Think They Should Talk to Boys About the Issue, but Only 37 percent Have Had the Conversation
NEW YORK, June 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Ad Council and national nonprofit Futures Without Violence launched a national public service campaign called #TeachEarly highlighting the pivotal role that men play in preventing domestic and sexual violence. The campaign launch coincides with the release of the Ad Council Domestic Violence Prevention Continuous Tracking Study, which was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Of the men surveyed, 89 percent agreed that it's important for men to talk to boys about violence against women and girls, while only 37 percent reported speaking to a boy they know about violence against women in the past six months. The campaign encourages men to recognize this dissonance between their beliefs and actions, and teach boys to respect women with the same enthusiasm and dedication in which they teach them other things.
Launching to coincide with Father's Day, the campaign encourages fathers, uncles and other male mentors and role models to talk to boys at an early age about healthy relationships and respect for their peers—particularly towards women and girls. #TeachEarly kicks-off with nationally-distributed public service advertisements (PSAs) narrated by actor and father Forest Whitaker underscoring the importance of male role models in shaping perceptions and attitudes toward gender-based violence.
#TeachEarly is comprised of national television, radio, digital and outdoor PSAs. The campaign directs audiences to TeachEarly.org where men can find valuable tools and resources, including a digital Playbook with tips and conversation starters to help engage boys in a discussion about relationships, respecting women, and preventing violence. The website also features a digital quilt that celebrates inspiring teachable moments between fathers and other male mentors, and the boys in their lives—sourcing photos from the public with the campaign's designated hashtag: #TeachEarly.
"An estimated one in four women in the United States will experience violence by a partner in her lifetime," said Futures Without Violence Founder and President Esta Soler. "Perceptions about women and girls are often shaped at a young age, and we know that prevention is key. Fathers and male mentors—from sports coaches and teachers to uncles and brothers—have the opportunity to reach out to these young people and reinforce the message that violence against women is never acceptable."
The Ad Council and Futures Without Violence are longstanding partners on the issue of domestic violence prevention, having launched the first-ever national campaign in 1994 titled "There's No Excuse" followed by an effort in 2001 to specifically engage men in the issue.
"The issue of domestic violence is increasingly a part of the national conversation," said Ad Council President and CEO Lisa Sherman. "We want to transform the negative news stories into something more productive and powerful. By providing fathers and mentors with tips and tools on how to talk to their sons and other boys about healthy relationships, we strive to change the way that young men think about how to treat women. Men play an invaluable role and this campaign will empower them to be advocates for change."
The new TV PSAs were created by RSA Films. iHeartMedia is providing support across male-targeted programming beginning today through the end of the month. Additionally, Clear Channel Outdoor Americas developed the out-of-home creative and will donate advertising space in key locations and Team Detroit is providing media outreach support.
"We at RSA Films are proud to be part of such a strong and important message," said Jules Daly, President of RSA Films.
"iHeartMedia is once again teaming up with the Ad Council to help positively shape future behaviors and attitudes of our country's youth, motivating our listeners to take action and providing valuable resources to help them promote nonviolent relationships now and in the future," said Jessica King, Director of Community Engagement for iHeartMedia.
The campaign has been funded through grants provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Blue Shield California Foundation and The Waitt Institute for Violence Prevention. The Ad Council Domestic Violence Prevention Continuous Tracking Study was based on a non-probability based online panel sample of men aged 18 and older, who had a personal or professional relationship with boys aged 5 to 17. Results of the study can be viewed here.
The Ad Council
The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization with a rich history of marshaling 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 affected, 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 Adcouncil.org, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or view our PSAs on YouTube.
Futures Without Violence
Futures Without Violence is a national nonprofit organization leading groundbreaking educational programs, policies, and campaigns that empower individuals and organizations working to end violence against women and children around the world. Providing leadership from offices in San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Boston, FUTURES has trained thousands of professionals and advocates–such as doctors, nurses, judges, athletic coaches, and other community influences–on improving responses to violence and abuse.
RSA Films
Founded by Ridley and Tony Scott in 1968, RSA Films is one of the world's leading commercial production companies. Headed by President Jules Daly, RSA is at the forefront of creating innovative groundbreaking advertising campaigns for some of the world's most recognized brands. Headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in New York, London, Hong Kong and Shanghai, RSA has a roster of over 70 directors, including Kathryn Bigelow, Martin Scorsese, Sam Mendes, and Neill Blomkamp and has received numerous Golden Lion, Emmy, BAFTA, AICP, Clio, MTV and MVPA Awards since its inception.
iHeartMedia
With 245 million monthly listeners in the U.S., 97 million monthly digital uniques and 196 million monthly consumers of its Total Traffic and Weather Network, iHeartMedia has the largest reach of any radio or television outlet in America. It serves over 150 markets through 858 owned radio stations, and the company's radio stations and content can be heard on AM/FM, HD digital radio, satellite radio, on the Internet at iHeartRadio.com and on the company's radio station websites, on the iHeartRadio mobile app, in enhanced auto dashes, on tablets and smartphones, and on gaming consoles.
iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia's digital radio platform, is the No. 1 all-in-one digital audio service with over 500 million downloads; it reached its first 20 million registered users faster than any digital service in Internet history and reached 60 million users faster than any other radio or digital music service and even faster than Facebook. The company's operations include radio broadcasting, online, mobile, digital and social media, live concerts and events, syndication, music research services and independent media representation.
Clear Channel Outdoor
Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCO) is one of the world's largest outdoor advertising companies with more than 640,000 displays in over 40 countries across Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and North America. Reaching millions of people monthly, including consumers in 45 of the top 50 U.S. markets, Clear Channel Outdoor enables advertisers to engage with consumers through innovative advertising solutions. Clear Channel Outdoor is pioneering the integration of out-of-home with mobile and social platforms, and the company's digital platform includes over 1,110 digital billboards across 38 markets in North America and over 4,700 digital displays in international markets. More information is available at www.clearchanneloutdoor.com and www.clearchannelinternational.com.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
For more than 40 years the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has worked to improve health and health care. We are striving to build a national Culture of Health that will enable all to live longer, healthier lives now and for generations to come. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter at www.rwjf.org/twitter or on Facebook at www.rwjf.org/facebook
Blue Shield California Foundation
Blue Shield of California Foundation is one of the State's largest and most trusted grant making organizations. Our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians, particularly the underserved, by making health care accessible, effective, and affordable, and by ending domestic violence. For more information visit: www.blueshieldcafoundation.org
The Waitt Institute for Violence Prevention
The Waitt Institute for Violence Prevention is a private operating institute committed to breaking the cycle of violence in our homes, schools, and communities on the local and national level. The Waitt Foundation has supported violence prevention efforts since 1993. To streamline our efforts, WIVP was founded in 2005, by Ted Waitt. Through this work, we change social norms that accept violence as a part of life.
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