1-28-98

Contacts:
Chuck Morris, 4-H Youth Development, (515) 294-1611
Melva L. Berkland, Extension Communication Systems, (515) 294- 2164
Steve Jones, News Service, (515) 294-4778

4-H GETS BOOST FROM NATIONAL AD COUNCIL CAMPAIGN

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa's 4-H clubs will benefit from a national public service campaign by the Advertising Council.

The "Are You Into It?" campaign aims to encourage volunteerism through community service among youth and at the same time broaden 4-H's image and attract more participants. The campaign, geared to 10- to 12-year-olds and their parents, began in late 1997 and will continue for two years.

Iowa State University's Extension 4-H officials are pleased the Ad Council chose to work with 4-H. The Ad Council, through volunteer advertising agencies, creates public service advertising for only a select few issues or organizations each year.

"It's a wonderful coup for 4-H," said Chuck Morris, associate director for the ISU Extension 4-H Youth Development program.

Morris said the campaign is really to promote youth community service, which is a strong component of 4-H. The ads encourage youth to volunteer in their communities and direct them to contact 4-H to become involved.

Morris said the national campaign is worth millions of dollars in what amounts to free advertising. The campaign includes newspaper, magazine, billboard, radio and television public service announcements (PSAs).

Iowa 4-H club members and volunteers are visiting the news media in their counties to encourage use of the PSAs.

More than 35,000 Iowa youth participate in 4-H clubs. 4-H programs in 1996-1997 reached nearly 112,000 Iowa youth, or one in every five students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Youth played a major role in designing the campaign. Nineteen 4- H members from across the United States worked with the Ad Council and Bates USA, a New York-headquartered advertising agency.

The Ad Council was established in 1942 as the War Advertising Council. The Ad Council is the nation's largest producer of public service advertising geared to improve social conditions. Previous Ad Council campaigns resulted in some now-famous slogans such as Loose Lips Sink Ships, Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk and Take a Bite Out of Crime.

The "Are You Into It?" campaign is a registered trademark of the National 4-H Council.

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Revised 1/28/98