Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
PRNewswire - Wednesday, July 10, 2002
United Nations Foundation (UNF) President, Timothy E. Wirth, was joined at a press conference by: Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS; Dr. Chrispus Kiyonga, Chairman of the Board of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria; Peggy Conlon, President and CEO of the Ad Council of America; Kathy Bushkin, President of AOL Time Warner Foundation and Senior Vice President, AOL Time Warner; Senior Vice Presidents Kristin Anderson and Greg Warren from Leo Burnett USA, the advertising agency responsible for the spot.
"We at AOL Time Warner are proud to be associated with this campaign," said Bushkin. "The efforts of both the United Nations Foundation and The Advertising Council bring additional resources and hope to the fight against the AIDS pandemic and the truly shocking statistics it forces us to confront." The PSA compares the more than 14 million children currently orphaned by AIDS globally with the equal number of children in the United States under the age of five.
"America must do more, and Americans as individuals can and must empower themselves to take greater action," stated Timothy E. Wirth. "In America we have become insulated from the shocking fact that AIDS kills 5,000 people every day in Africa, that there are already 40 million people infected worldwide." He continued, "What we have done is tried to place these horrible statistics in an American context." The Apathy is Lethal campaign will officially launch in October 2002 in America. The campaign will be fueled in large part by a series of compelling television, radio and print public service advertisements placed by The Advertising Council.
According to Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of The Advertising Council, "I believe that this advertising developed beautifully by Leo Burnett can and will raise widespread awareness of the global AIDS crisis and communicate to all Americans that there are simple things that they can do to make a difference -- a message I am confident the media will support with significant pro bono resources." Generally recognized as the pre-eminent experts in public service advertising, the Ad Council estimates that their average campaign receives approximately $30-40 million annually in donated media time and space in U.S. markets alone.
HIV/AIDS has devastated decades of development in many nations like Kenya, Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire and Nigeria. Most African countries lack the economic capacity to sustain the economic and health costs of the disease. Government infrastructures falter and gross domestic products consistently decline. Many children who have lost their parents to AIDS have stopped attending school because they are discriminated against, are psychologically distraught, or must assume head-of-the-household responsibilities. "I congratulate the United Nations Foundation and the Ad Council for their efforts which couldn't come at a better time. We are in a position to make major strides against HIV/AIDS if the necessary resources can be mobilized," said Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS.
"The purpose of the advertising is to create meaningful awareness of the AIDS problem and to break down inaccurate perceptions of the crisis," said Leo Burnett USA Vice Chairman and Deputy Chief Creative Officer Mark Tutssel. "The AIDS pandemic has long been portrayed in terms of dying people in far-away places. We focused on the living -- children who are orphaned by this global problem."
The United Nations Foundation is active in the fight against AIDS, working with various UN agencies and funding partners to implement and strengthen community-based programs. HIV/AIDS has evolved into an integral component of the UN Foundation's programs on Children's Health and Women and Population. To date, the Foundation has invested approximately $50 million to help curb the spread of the pandemic, with a focus on lowering the risk for adolescent girls. The Apathy is Lethal campaign is the latest of the Foundation's AIDS- related projects.
The United Nations Foundation was established in 1998 to administer R.E. Turner's unprecedented gift of $1 billion to support the United Nations and its causes. To achieve its objectives, the UN foundation provides grants to UN Agencies, Funds, and Programs for work in the area of women and population; children's health; the environment; peace, security, and human rights; and works to bring other private sector parties together in partnership.
Leo Burnett USA is the flagship office of Leo Burnett Worldwide, Inc., a global advertising/marketing network of over 200 operating units in 83 markets. Leo Burnett is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bcom3 Group, Inc. On March 7, 2002, Paris-based Publicis Groupe, along with Tokyo-based Dentsu, announced its intent to acquire Bcom3 Group -- to form the world's fourth- largest marketing communications holding company.
The Advertising Council is a private, nonprofit organization, which has been the leading producer of public service communications programs in the United States since 1942. The Ad Council marshals volunteer talents from the advertising and communications industries to create awareness, foster understanding and motivate action. Last year, Ad Council campaigns received more than $1.5 billion in donated media time and space. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit its website, http://www.adcouncil.org/ .
Source: United Nations Foundation CONTACT: USA: Julie Hughes of the United Nations Foundation, +1-202-462-4900; or Spain: Enrique Pascual, +34-91-702-71-71, for the United Nations Foundation
Web site: http://www.adcouncil.org/
020710
PR020739
Copyright © 2002 - PRNewswire. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through PRNewswire, Permissions, 810 Seventh Ave., 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10019 http://www.prnewswire.com.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2002. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2002. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .