AICPA and Ad Council launch financial literacy ad campaign--Feed the Pig[TM].The highly successful 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy Financial literacy is the ability of individuals to make appropriate decisions in managing their personal finances. Raising levels of financial literacy is now a focus of government programmes in countries including[1] Australia, Japan, the United States and the UK. initiative is extending its reach with the launch of Feed the Pig[TM], a national public service announcement campaign. This joint effort of the AICPA AICPA See American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). , state CPA (Computer Press Association, Landing, NJ) An earlier membership organization founded in 1983 that promoted excellence in computer journalism. Its annual awards honored outstanding examples in print, broadcast and electronic media. The CPA disbanded in 2000. societies and the Ad Council includes radio, print, television and multimedia to target Americans aged 25-34 to convince them to start saving and take control of their finances. The Ad Council is the force behind such memorable and iconic campaigns as Smokey Bear Smokey Bear is a fictional character of the longest running public service campaign in United States history. The character's mission is to raise public awareness to protect America's forests. and McGruff the Crime Dog McGruff the Crime Dog is an anthropomorphic cartoon bloodhound created for the National Crime Prevention Council for use by American police in building crime awareness among children. He debuted in July 1980.[1] The character was created by Sherry Nemmers. . Working with advertising agencies that offer their services pro bono Short for pro bono publico [Latin, For the public good]. The designation given to the free legal work done by an attorney for indigent clients and religious, charitable, and other nonprofit entities. or at steep discounts, the Ad Council has a long, prestigious record of creating public service campaigns that successfully influence behavior and help address serious issues facing the country. Many of the Ad Council's previous campaigns feature slogans that have become part of the American vernacular, including "Only you can prevent forest fires" (for the U.S. Forest Service) and "A mind is a terrible thing to waste" (for the United Negro College Fund The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) is a Fairfax, Virginia-based American philanthropic organization that fundraises college tuition money for African-American students and general scholarship funds for 39 historically black colleges and universities. ). Feed the Pig transforms the traditional childhood symbol of savings--the piggy bank--into an attention-grabbing icon, Benjamin Bankes, inspiring 25-34 year-olds to reignite Verb 1. reignite - ignite anew, as of something burning; "The strong winds reignited the cooling embers" ignite, light - cause to start burning; subject to fire or great heat; "Great heat can ignite almost any dry matter"; "Light a cigarette" the savings habit and make smarter financial decisions. The target audience, also known as "career builders" is characterized by a high degree of skepticism, technological savvy, and a high threshold for multitasking multitasking Mode of computer operation in which the computer works on multiple tasks at the same time. A task is a computer program (or part of a program) that can be run as a separate entity. . To break through the clutter of media messages, the campaign takes a new angle on the old piggy-bank concept and urges young Americans to make small changes to build long-term financial security. The campaign will share this message through numerous media, including television, radio, print, Web, digital and such outdoor advertising as billboards and bus kiosks. A new Web site, www.FeedthePig.org, provides free financial information and tools to help these young working Americans begin taking small steps to reach their financial goals. Twenty-five to 34 year-olds were chosen as the target audience because studies show that their financial behaviors, while less established, tend toward debt accumulation. They also are often experiencing milestones events, such as marriage and children or caring for aging parents. However, more working time before retirement means their financial decisions have a great impact (positive and negative) on their long-term financial security. Feed the Pig is a call to action for these young adults. "Making small changes can add up," said Jimmy Williamson, chairman of the AICPA Board of Directors. "Sticking to a monthly budget, cutting up credit cards and starting a 401(k) plan are just a few basic steps to begin. We need to convince people that smart money management now helps build a solid financial foundation for the future. With this message, the accounting profession can make a huge difference in the financial lives of millions of Americans." This campaign is the newest component in the CPA profession's award-winning 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy effort (www.360financialliteracy.org), in which state CPA societies and CPA volunteers have been educating Americans of all ages, from children to retirees, about financial issues specific to their stage of fife. For more information or to get involved in the program, go to: Feed the Pig is the Ad Council's latest PSA (Professional Services Automation) An information system designed to organize, track and manage all opportunities, work, resources, costs, revenues and invoices to improve the productivity and efficiency of the workforce. effort and will run for a minimum three years. www.FeedthePig.org |
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