The Ad Council and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Encourage Parents to Take Action to Prevent Asthma Attacks

NEW YORK, May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Advertising Council, in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced today the launch of a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to inform parents of children living with asthma that serious asthma attacks can be prevented and to motivate them to learn how to take preventative action.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control, since 1980 the number of people with asthma has more than doubled. Furthermore, seven million children in the United States have asthma and nearly two-thirds of them will experience an asthma attack this year. In addition, children miss 13 million school days each year due to asthma.

"As the parent of a child with asthma, I know how important it is to prevent attacks before they happen.  The right information can make all the difference," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.  "EPA is proud to help educate families about simple steps they can take to prevent asthma attacks.  We want to spread the word so that children -- and parents -- will be able to breathe easier."

Created pro bono by C-E (Campbell-Ewald), the new television, radio and web PSAs provide parents and caregivers with new and simple actions, such as drying off bath toys and cleaning a child's favorite teddy bear, to limit risk factors within their environment. The ads are available in English and Spanish. The new PSAs encourage parents of children living with asthma to call 1-866-No-ATTACKS or visit www.noattacks.org for information on preventing asthma attacks.

"Although there is no known cure for the disease, I believe that this new round of work will urge parents to find out more about simple ways they can prevent their child from having an asthma attack," according to Peggy Conlon, President and CEO of The Advertising Council.

The new PSAs are an extension of the previously successful campaign, launched in 2001. According to a survey conducted by the Ad Council in 2009, significantly more parents of children with asthma have implemented the campaign messages into their daily lives. Forty-three percent of these parents have reported that they dry bath toys while 18 percent of parents put stuffed animals in the freezer.

"We are honored to play this very important role in educating and empowering parents with information on how their child's environment can affect their asthma," said Bill Ludwig, chairman and CEO of C-E (Campbell-Ewald). The "Monster" campaign creatively motivates parents to take a few simple steps to proactively manage their child's asthma, reduce the incidence of an attack and enhance their quality of life."

Per the Ad Council's model, all of the PSAs will air in advertising time that is donated by the media.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

The U.S. EPA is a federal agency founded in 1970 that is committed to safeguarding the environment and human health.  In 1999 EPA created a national, multi-faceted asthma education and outreach program in response to the growing asthma problem.  This effort stresses the importance of incorporating environmental management into asthma education, outreach and management strategies. EPA has a variety of other initiatives that encourage people to take preventive actions to improve the quality of the environment and public health.  You can learn more about EPA's programs at its website www.epa.gov/asthma.

C-E

C-E (Campbell-Ewald) is one of the nation's largest advertising and digital communications agencies, with offices in Detroit, Los Angeles, San Antonio, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, New York, and Washington, D.C.  A part of The Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG), C-E partners with a score of national brands, including Alltel Wireless, Carrier, General Motors, Ghirardelli, Kaiser Permanente, Olympic Paints and Stains, OnStar, USAA, United States Environmental Protection Agency, United States Mint, United States Navy and the United States Postal Service.  For more information on C-E, visit www.c-e.com.

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.

SOURCE Ad Council