Prime Access Creates Groundbreaking Ads Targeting Urban Teens for the White House's National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign

Prime Access Creates Groundbreaking Ads Targeting Urban Teens for the White House's National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign

New TV, Radio and Print Ads Debut Nationwide in October

http://www.primeaccess.net/AgencyWork/Videos/ATI/3spots_pr.html

NEW YORK, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswwire/ -- Using a mix of urban poetry, vivid animation, and even the perils of cell phone gossip, bold new TV, radio and print advertising created by New York agency Prime Access encourages urban teens to rethink their perception of smoking marijuana.

The advertisements mark the first time that messaging specifically directed to multicultural urban teens has been created for the White House's National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign.

Founded in 1990, Prime Access is a pioneering New York agency specializing in URBAN MAJORITY(TM) advertising services that help Fortune 500 companies reach African American, Hispanic, gay, and urban youth audiences. Strong expertise in reaching today's ethnic fusion of urban teens is why Prime Access was chosen for the groundbreaking assignment.

Debuting nationwide on October 1st, the new executions include three television spots, two radio commercials, five print ads, and out-of-home media. According to Lorraine McNeill-Popper, V.P.-Executive Creative Director at Prime Access, the campaign also reaches a broad teen audience beyond the urban teen target through use of eclectic advertising styles, including live action and animation.

"Our goal is to subtly but effectively discourage teens from smoking marijuana," said McNeill-Popper. She added that extensive market research validated the ads' approach.

"We wanted these ads to capture the essence of the urban teen experience - the style, language, culture, and ideas that influence and motivate them," said McNeill-Popper. "This advertising speaks in the voice of urban teens and portrays real situations that challenge viewers to rethink the use of marijuana."

In the TV spot titled "Huggin' the Block", a young African American girl recites urban poetry about someone she cares for who is always high and always on his stoop. Staring into the camera, she observes, "Just sit some more and smoke that weed. I wonder if he'll ever leave?"

The second TV spot, titled "Anne Marie", uses high-tech animation blended with live elements to portray a middle schooler who questions the pressure to try marijuana. "Well, there's this girl on my block. And every time I see her she asks me to get high. She says all the kids are doing it. If that's true, then why doesn't she find someone else to do it with?" she asks.

In the third spot, titled "Sent", a young Latina high school student learns a hard lesson about the consequences of marijuana use when an alarming photo of her is sent to classmates via their cell phones.

Prime Access worked with the Partnership for a Drug-Free America to produce the cutting-edge messages, which are part of an ongoing campaign titled "Above the Influence." "These new ads broaden the target of the White House's anti-drug media effort," said Prime Access founder and CEO Howard Buford. "The messages wield tremendous power through their authenticity and by allowing viewers to draw their own conclusions."

McNeill-Popper served as Executive Creative Director for the campaign. Taso Mouhteros served as Creative Director. (See full credits below.)

For video of the full TV spots and a high-res visual for each spot: http://www.primeaccess.net/AgencyWork/Videos/ATI/3spots_pr.html

For the print advertising: http://www.primeaccess.net/AgencyWork/TheWork/ATI/atiprint_pr.html

About Prime Access, Inc.:

Prime Access Inc. ( http://www.primeaccess.net/ ) is a multicultural advertising agency that offers a unique URBAN MAJORITY(TM) approach to advertising, marketing and media services. The agency links its clients' brands to the values of African American, Hispanic and gay consumers through a sophisticated mix of touch point management, including targeted advertising, direct marketing, media planning and community outreach. Prime Access clients include some of America's best known Fortune 500 companies and brands.

Source: Prime Access, Inc.

CONTACT: Patrick Kowalczyk, patrick@mkpr.com, or Scott Piro,
scott@mkpr.com, +1-212-627-8098, both of MKPR, for Prime Access, Inc.

Web site:

http://www.primeaccess.net/

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