New Ads debut in conjunction with National Missing Children's Day
The Advertising Council, in partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC), The Wireless Foundation and the U.S. Department of Justice, launched today a national, multi-media public service advertising (PSA) campaign designed to raise awareness of Wireless AMBER Alerts™ and encourage all wireless subscribers to aid in the search for abducted children. The PSA campaign is the first to address this technology and the ads debut in time for National Missing Children's Day last May 25th.
Statistics show that when a child is abducted, the first three hours are most critical to recovery efforts. Since its creation, the AMBER Alert program has helped reunite more than 260 children with their families. AMBER ("America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response") was created in 1997 when Dallas-Fort Worth broadcasters teamed with local police to develop an early warning system to find abducted children. The AMBER Alert program was soon adopted across the country and is a legacy to Amber Hagerman, a 9-year-old girl who was kidnapped in Arlington, Texas and then murdered. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have since established AMBER Alert programs.
The Wireless AMBER Alerts initiative was launched in May 2005 as a way to extend the AMBER Alert program by reaching out to the nearly 70% of the American population that uses wireless devices. Sponsored by NCMEC, The Wireless Foundation and the U.S. Department of Justice and created pro bono by ad agency Merkley + Partners, the new PSA campaign is designed to educate the public about Wireless AMBER Alerts, inspire cell phone users and other wireless subscribers to register for the Alerts and, in turn, increase the number of people who may be able to help in locating an abducted child.
"Wireless AMBER Alerts have the potential to extend the reach of these critical messages to millions of people. We are proud to join NCMEC, The Wireless Foundation and the U.S. Department of Justice in this potentially life saving effort," said Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of The Advertising Council.
All wireless subscribers who are capable of receiving text messages, and whose wireless carrier participates in the Wireless AMBER Alerts Initiative, may opt in to receive free alerts by registering at the website or their wireless carrier's website. Subscribers may designate up to five geographic areas for which they would like to receive Wireless AMBER Alerts.
"The Wireless AMBER Alerts initiative is a natural extension to the AMBER Alert program," said Ernie Allen, NCMEC president and CEO. "Everyone has a role to play in the search for an abducted child and this effort allows anyone with a cell phone to get involved in the search."
The campaign includes radio, newspaper, outdoor and Internet advertising, which direct parents and all adults to visit wirelessamberalerts.org to sign up for Wireless AMBER Alerts.
"It is our hope that this compelling new PSA campaign will lead wireless consumers all over the country to sign up to receive free text messages when a child has been abducted in their area and join the effort to help reunite that child with their family," said Steve Largent, President of The Wireless Foundation.
The message here is quite simple: Most Americans now carry cell phones...and these now can be used for the common good: to help alert Americans to an "AMBER Alert," said Andy Hirsch, Merkley and Partners Partner and Executive Creative Director. "This campaign helps make them aware of the power they literally have in their hands to help rescue an abducted child. It is a call for them to join and unite in the fight against this horrific crime and help our children."
Per the Ad Council model, the PSAs are being distributed to more than 19,000 media outlets nationwide later this month and will run and air in advertising time and space donated by the media.
"AMBER Alert is a proven tool for helping recover abducted children," said Regina B. Schofield, Assistant Attorney General and National AMBER Alert Coordinator. "When people receive wireless AMBER Alerts on their cell phones, there will be even more eyes and ears available to help return children to their families."
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