FCB Creates Campaign Celebrating Smokey Bear's 80th Birthday

The Ad Council is bringing back an iconic figure to remind Americans of the role he continues to play in preventing forest wildfires. 

This is none other than the beloved mascot Smokey Bear, who celebrates his 80th birthday with a campaign from FCB New York.

The efforts, made together with the USDA Forest Service (USFS) and the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), are marked by a hero spot inviting the public to partake in his legacy by being careful and vigilant with their surroundings.

For those of you not familiar with Smokey, the fact he's the only individual aside from the U.S. President who has his own zip code speaks volumes about his role in history. 

It simply needed to be done because he received so much fan mail in the 1960s.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by USDA Forest Service- Tonto National Forest (@tontonationalforest)

According to Forest Service Chief Randy Moore, Smokey's impact on society can be seen in the way the mascot "educates generations of Americans about their personal responsibility in preventing unplanned human-caused wildfires."

"Celebrating this major milestone with our partners brings attention to Smokey’s message, which is as relevant today as it was in the past and will be long into the future," Moore added.

Meanwhile, NASF President Scott Philips highlights that the endurance of Smokey's message speaks to the "role of every individual" in managing healthy and managed forests to maintain clean air and water, economic prosperity, and more.

To spread and amplify the message, the campaign will be supported by media agencies Hearts & Science and Starcom, alongside partners including The Atlantic, Buzzfeed, Pinterest, Roku, Twitch, Uber, and The Weather Channel.

Smokey Through the Years 

Within the last eight decades, Smokey has been a cultural mainstay when it comes to wildlife prevention. 

Introduced through a public service advertisement at the height of World War ll, his "Only You" message has echoed across posters, radio ads, TV commercials, and more. 

Seen as a beacon to the cause, his influence has stretched beyond ads and even into pop culture conversations, being mentioned in The Beach Boys track "Drive-In," among others. 

Ad Council CEO and President Lisa Sherman shared that Smokey Bear is one of the first campaigns that comes to mind when she speaks about their work, as it "embodies the long-standing impact and issue recognition we aim to achieve across everything we do.”

Sherman continues, saying that a public service campaign like Smokey's is unprecedented, and the organization is looking forward to amplifying the bear's message "for many years to come."

Behind Smokey's Spot

The heartwarming spot kicks off with Smokey talking directly to the audience, as he brisks through all his teachings over the decades.

Viewers are then treated to a montage of different travelers practicing safety protocols in the forest.

This includes a group of campers enjoying their time by a lake, two road-trippers sharing a moment, a group of friends having a barbecue, and more. 

Each of these groups showcases the proper wildfire prevention measures Smokey has taught the public over the years, from learning how to control flames, to knowing what to do with coals.

 

 

 

 

 

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Beyond retaining most of Smokey's physical appearance, the commercial also shows audiences that the bear lives on through the people passing on their learnings to the next generations.

The spot ends with a powerful message from the mascot: "I can only teach wildfire prevention. Only you can prevent wildfires."

Previously, FCB also worked on an empowering women's campaign for Summer's Eve, shedding light on the taboo topic of vaginal odor.

Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang