The Advertising Council, in partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced today the launch of new public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to raise awareness of the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system. The LATCH system was developed to make it easier for parents to correctly install child safety seats into vehicles.
According to NHTSA, 3 out of 4 kids are not as secure in the car as they could be because their car seats are not used correctly. Additionally, 40 percent of parents still rely on the vehicles’ seat belts when installing their car seat rather than using LATCH. Furthermore, only 55 percent report using the upper tether, which provides additional attachment of the child safety seat to the vehicle and has been shown to reduce forward movement of the child’s head, minimizing risk of head impact
The PSAs, part of the Ad Council’s longstanding occupant protection education campaign with NHTSA, educate parents and caregivers about what the LATCH system is and the safety benefits it provides for your children. Created pro bono by The Richards Group, the new PSAs are designed to raise awareness among all parents and caregivers, about the importance of securing their child properly in their car seats. Additionally NHTSA and the Ad Council have collaborated with The Baby Einstein Company on a complementary campaign, including TV and outdoor PSAs, which feature music and favorite characters from Baby Einstein ™, designed to educate a new generation of parents on the LATCH system. The ads direct viewers to www.safercar.gov for more information.
“Informed parents and caregivers are the first line of defense for our youngest passengers traveling on our nation’s roads,” said NHTSA Acting Administrator David Kelly. “LATCH is an effective way to keep children restrained in a vehicle and safe in the event of a crash.”
The campaign, which features television, radio, print, outdoor and online PSAs, including Spanish-language advertising, 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.
“We really enjoy working with the Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation,” said David Canright, Creative Group Head, The Richards Group. “We are able to do great work that is engaging as well as endearing. But best of all, it may save lives in the process. There’s no better feeling than that.”
“The Ad Council is thrilled to partner with Baby Einstein and NHTSA in our continuing effort to save lives with our Occupant Protection Education campaign,” said Peggy Conlon, President and CEO, the Ad Council. “We believe that these compelling PSAs will help educate parents that the LATCH system should be a necessity when securing children into their car seats.”
NHTSA
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The agency’s mission is to save lives, prevent injuries and reduce economic costs due to road traffic crashes. NHTSA provides leadership to the motor vehicle and highway safety community through education, research, safety standards and enforcement activity. For additional information visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov
The Richards Group
The Richards Group, located in Dallas, is the largest independent branding agency in the nation. Agency clients include the standard-setting brands of Advance Auto Parts, Amstel Light, Bridgestone Firestone, Chick-fil-A, Fruit of the Loom, The Home Depot, Motel 6, Orkin, Patrón, Red Lobster and Zales. Total billings for the agency were $1.25 billion in 2007. The Richards Group can be found at www.richards.com
The Baby Einstein Company
The Baby Einstein Company, LLC, is the award-winning creator of the infant media category. The company is famous for its best-selling Baby Einstein brand of DVDs, books, music CDs and toys specifically designed for babies and toddlers, from birth to 2 years old. Little Einsteins™, which debuted in 2005, is the company’s newest venture, specifically created for the preschool market. Headquartered in Glendale, CA, The Baby Einstein Company is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. For more information, visit www.BabyEinstein.com or www.LittleEinsteins.com.
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.
