New PSAs Released as Part of Ad Council and AARP Caregiver
Assistance Campaign Supported by NAB, RAB, and OAAA This
Mother’s and Father’s Day
Caregiver Assistance Campaign Draws Support for Nation’s 42 Million
Caregivers
WASHINGTON, DC, April 30, 2015 — In an effort to support the 42.1 million
caregivers in the U.S. who are caring for parents and older loved ones, AARP and the
Ad Council are unveiling a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) as an
extension of their ongoing Caregiver Assistance Campaign. The campaign, created
pro bono by agency DDB New York, is supported by the National Association of
Broadcasters (NAB), the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), and the Outdoor
Advertising Association of America (OAAA) who are urging their members to run
the spots in the weeks leading up to both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day this year.
“Many people will spend more of their time and resources caring for their aging
parents than they did raising their own children,” said AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins.
“These new PSAs will help create greater awareness for caregivers who tackle tough
issues every day, and provide information on the many resources that are available to
help them meet their needs and those of their loved ones.”
Caregivers in the U.S. provide an estimated $450 billion worth of unpaid care to aging
relatives and friends1. And according to an AARP survey2, more than one in five says
their weight, exercise routine, or social life has suffered since becoming a caregiver and
that they are generally unhappier. For many, the caregiving role starts with simple
Caregiving in the U.S. report (2009)
The Caregivers: Life Changes and Coping Strategies poll was commissioned by AARP. Research was conducted through an on-line
survey nationwide from in May and June 2013 using GfK Custom Research (Knowledge Networks Knowledge Panel). The sample
consisted of 1,036 adults between the ages of 40 to 60 years of age who currently caring for someone age 50+.
1
2
things like scheduling a doctor’s visit or helping with daily errands, but gradually
expands over time. This juggling of responsibilities can be highly stressful, putting
caregivers at risk for depression, anxiety, lowered immunity, heart disease, and
premature aging among other physiological consequences, as well as causing financial
problems.
“Family support is critical to the care needed for older adults as they age, but often
comes at substantial costs to those providing the care, to their families and to society,”
said Lisa Sherman, President and CEO of the Ad Council. “Through this campaign—
and thanks to the incredible support from our advertising partners—our goal is to
help more caregivers connect to the resources, tools and help available to them and
better alleviate the stresses in their lives.”
The Caregiver Assistance Campaign is requesting support across multiple media
platforms. NAB, RAB and OAAA have encouraged their member organizations to
run the out of home, radio, and broadcast PSAs in addition to ongoing digital and
social media support in the week preceding both Mother’s and Father’s Day this year.
Since the initial launch in the fall of 2012, the Caregiver Assistance Campaign has
received over $104.6 million in donated media and aarp.org/caregiving has received
more than 25 million page views.
The new series of PSAs highlight the resources and help available to improve the
lives of both the caregiver and their loved one at aarp.org/caregiving . On the website,
caregivers can access practical health and wellness tips and resources and can interact
with a supportive community of peers.
The campaign will also be promoted through Upworthy.com, and across social media
channels including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. This campaign is also debuting a
powerful SMS initiative aimed at mirroring the caregiver's journey. Available in both
English and Spanish, caregivers can text "parents" or "padres" to 97779 for ongoing
support and personalized assistance from AARP home and family expert and
caregiver, Amy Goyer.
Following the Ad Council’s model, the PSAs will be distributed to more than 33,000
media outlets nationwide and will be run in space and time entirely donated by the
media.
To learn more about the issues family caregivers deal with, tune in to CARING FOR
MOM & DAD, a PBS documentary narrated by Meryl Streep, that premieres
nationwide May 2015. The documentary, funded by AARP and Pfizer, explores the
emotional, health, and financial challenges faced by caregivers as parents age. Learn
more at pbs.org/caringformomanddad
AARP
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of more than 37
million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens
communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare,
employment and income security, retirement planning, affordable utilities and
protection from financial abuse. We advocate for individuals in the marketplace by
selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as
well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and
services. A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP
produces AARP The Magazine, the world's largest circulation magazine; AARP
Bulletin; www.aarp.org; AARP TV & Radio; AARP Books; and AARP en Español, a
Spanish-language website addressing the interests and needs of Hispanics. AARP does
not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or
candidates. The AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security,
protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of
volunteers, donors, and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District
of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.aarp.org.
The Ad Council
The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization with a rich history of marshaling
volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages
to the American public. Having produced literally thousands of PSA campaigns
addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has affected, and
continues to affect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action and
saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit Adcouncil.org, like us
on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or view our PSAs on YouTube.
About DDB
DDB Worldwide (www.ddb.com) is one of the world's largest and most influential advertising
and marketing networks. At the prestigious 2014 Cannes International Festival of Creativity,
DDB took home 87 Lions, as well as Agency of the Year and Regional Network of the Year
honors for adam&eveDDB and DDB EMEA, respectively. In addition, DDB has been named
Agency of the Year numerous times by the industry's leading advertising publications and
awards shows. The Gunn Report has listed DDB as one of the Top Three Global Networks for
12 of the last 15 years. The agency's clients include Volkswagen, McDonald's, Unilever, Mars,
Johnson & Johnson and Exxon Mobil, among others. Founded in 1949, DDB is part of the
Omnicom Group (NYSE) and consists of more than 200 offices in over 90 countries, with its
flagship office in New York, NY.
About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America's
broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public
affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve
their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age.
Learn more at www.nab.org.
About RAB
The Radio Advertising Bureau serves more than 6,000 member Radio stations in the U.S. and
over 1,000 member networks, representative firms, broadcast vendors, and international
organizations. RAB leads and participates in educational, research, sales, and advocacy
programs that promote and advance Radio as a primary advertising medium. Learn more at
www.rab.com.
About OAAA
OAAA is the national trade association for the out of home (OOH) advertising industry.
Founded in 1891, the association represents more than 90 percent of the US industry based on
revenues. OAAA is dedicated to leading and uniting a responsible OOH industry committed to
serving advertisers, consumers, and communities. The OOH industry generates $7 billion
annually in ad revenues and donates more than $450 million in space each year. For more
information, please visit www.oaaa.org.
Media Contacts:
AARP, Greg Phillips, 202-434-2560, gphillips@aarp.org
Ad Council, Meg Rushton, 212-984-1996, mrushton@adcouncil.org
DDB, Christie Giera, 212-415-2186, Christie.giera@ddb.com