Video: Ad Council and Family Violence Prevention Fund Launch Innovative Campaign to Prevent Digital Dating Abuse Among Teens

Video: Ad Council and Family Violence Prevention Fund Launch Innovative Campaign to Prevent Digital Dating Abuse Among Teens

That'sNotCool.com

NEW YORK, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The Advertising Council, in partnership with the Family Violence Prevention Fund and the Department of Justice's Office on Violence against Women, announced today the launch of a national public service advertising (PSA) campaign designed to help teens recognize digital dating abuse and take steps to prevent it.

Digital abuse is a growing form of abuse, particularly among teens. According to Pew Research conducted in 2007, approximately 70 percent of teens talk daily with friends on a cell phone, 60 percent send text messages daily, 54 percent send instant messages, 47 percent send email messages daily over social networking sites, and many teens are blogging. With the benefit of these new technologies comes the risk of digital abuse, which can include unwanted, repeated calls or text messages, breaking into email or social networking accounts, or being pressured to send private or embarrassing pictures or videos. Though this issue has gone largely undetected by most adults, it is prevalent in teen life.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/adcouncil/36936/

"Our research confirms that teens often don't know how to connect the dots and recognize when controlling behavior becomes abuse," said Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler. "The That's Not Cool campaign is designed to help start a conversation about textual harassment and digital abuse, give teens the tools to recognize and talk about it, and encourage them to define what is and isn't okay."

According to Technology and Teen Dating Abuse Survey, 2007 (conducted by Teen Research Unlimited), one in three teens say they have been text messaged 10, 20 or 30 times an hour by a partner wanting to know where they are, what they're doing, or who they're with. One in four teens in a relationship have been called names, harassed or put down by their partner through cell phones and texting. More than half of teen girls (51 percent) say pressure from a guy is a reason girls send sexy messages or images, and 18 percent of teen boys say pressure from a girl is a reason (Sex and Tech Survey, National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, 2008).

"We are very proud to join with the Family Violence Prevention Fund and R/GA on this critical campaign to help prevent teen dating abuse," said Peggy Conlon, President and CEO, the Ad Council. "While teens often recognize the signs of physical abuse, digital abuse has many gray areas and its dangers are often minimized. This campaign will engage teens and give them the tools to draw the connection between the digital infractions they are experiencing and abuse."

The new multimedia campaign, created pro bono by R/GA, includes an interactive website, mobile component, television, radio, print, outdoor, posters in schools and malls, and Web ads. It is designed to help teens recognize digital dating abuse and give them the tools to initiate a conversation about it. The PSAs direct audiences to visit, www.ThatsNotCool.com, where teens can find tools to "draw their own digital line" and a forum to discuss this form of abuse and seek help. The site launched in January and was promoted through an exclusive with Google across search, display and YouTube to measure the impact of each on direct traffic to the site.

"R/GA is excited to have the opportunity to bring awareness to this issue and empower teens to talk about it," said Bob Greenberg, Chairman, CEO and Global Chief Creative Officer of R/GA. "Our goal is to connect with teens through the social media tools and digital technologies they are already using, but also through traditional channels, like TV, radio, and print posters in schools. It was an honor to be chosen by the Ad Council as the first digital agency to create such a holistic, multimedia campaign."

The PSAs will be distributed to media outlets nationwide this month. Per the Ad Council's model, the PSAs will appear in advertising time and space donated by the media.

FVPF

The Family Violence Prevention Fund works to end violence against women and children around the world, because every person has the right to live free of violence. More information is available at www.endabuse.org.

R/GA

R/GA (www.rga.com) is a full-service digital agency that transforms the way people interact with brands. A commitment to design, technology, strategy and innovation has defined R/GA's continuing legacy as an iconoclast in the world of communications and marketing. With a holistic range of offerings that includes brand design, mobile and retail, R/GA's agency model is adaptable to the ever-changing needs of consumers in the digital landscape.

Founded in 1977, R/GA has received the most prestigious creative awards for film, broadcast, design, advertising, and interactive. It was selected for Ad Age's Agency "A-List" in 2008 and Creativity's "Interactive Agency of the Year" in 2007. R/GA is part of The Interpublic Group (NYSE:IPG), one of the world's largest advertising and marketing services organizations.

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 in issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

Video: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/adcouncil/36936/
Source: The Ad Council

CONTACT: Beth Shanley of The Ad Council, +1-212-984-1923,
bshanley@adcouncil.org, or Lisa Lederer of FVPF, +1-202-371-1999,
lisa@prsolutionsdc.com, or Karen Spiegel of R/GA, +1-212-946-4055,
Karen.spiegel@rga.com

Web Site: http://www.adcouncil.org/

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