Ad Council and Advertising, Media and Marketing Industry Associations Join White House, HHS and CDC to Launch "#StayHome. Save Lives." Movement in Response to COVID-19 Crisis

Leading brands, ad agencies, media companies to feature new "roof" iconography above their logos and promote public service advertisements that urge the public to stay home

NEW YORK, April 8, 2020 -- In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ad Council, White House, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced today that they are joining leading advertising, media and marketing trade associations and Google and YouTube to launch a nationwide "#StayHome. Save Lives." movement. Leveraging the success of the #AloneTogether social distancing campaign created by MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount, CMT and the Entertainment & Youth Brands of ViacomCBS in partnership with the Ad Council, the new industrywide initiative encourages the American public to stay home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Beginning today, leading advertising, media and marketing companies will integrate new "roof" iconography into their logos and will promote PSAs that focus on social distancing. The iconography was designed by Google and the #AloneTogether PSA assets were developed by the Entertainment & Youth Brands of ViacomCBS.

Trade association partners and groups encouraging all their members to join the movement include:

• American Advertising Federation (AAF)

• Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing (AIMM)

• American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As)

• Association of National Advertisers (ANA)

• Digital Content Next

• International Advertising Association (IAA)

• Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)

• Mobile Marketing Association (MMA)

• News Media Alliance

• Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA)

• PTTOW!

• Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB)

• Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB)

• Video Advertising Bureau (VAB)

The following brands, media companies and agencies, among others, have already made commitments to begin using the creative assets beginning today:

• Alliance Residential, Co.

• Ally Financial

• AMC Networks

• ATTN

• CHEF

• Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable

• Facebook

• Google/YouTube

• GumGum

• Habitat for Humanity

• IBM

• iHeartMedia

• Kiosicle

• OKCupid

• Oreo

• Philo

• Pinterest

• Postmates

• Red Tricycle

• Reddit

• Roku

• Rooster Teeth

• Scary Mommy

• SHE Media

• Snapchat

• Tastemade

• Twitter

• Variety

• Verizon Media

• ViacomCBS

• Vice Media Group

• VOLCOM

• WarnerMedia

• Wattpad

"I have never before seen the level of generosity, talent and commitment from across our industry as I have since the onset of COVID-19," said Lisa Sherman, president and CEO of the Ad Council. "By uniting all our voices and platforms in an industrywide movement to amplify one message with one icon, we will inspire nationwide behavior change that will slow this pandemic. We're all in this together as an industry, as a community, and as a country, and we need to do everything we can to get through this crisis together."

The #StayHome. Save Lives. movement was conceived by the Ad Council, leading industry associations and Google, building on the #AloneTogether social distancing PSA platform created by ViacomCBS. Along with the new "roof" iconography developed by Google, creative assets are available in broadcast and digital video, social media, print and out of home formats. 

All assets drive audiences to www.coronavirus.gov, a centralized resource from HHS and the CDC that provides up-to-date information for the American public about the COVID-19 crisis.

"During this challenging and unprecedented time, it's never been more important to listen to your local governments and #StayHome," says Danielle Tiedt, Vice President of Marketing, YouTube. "We are grateful for the Ad Council's leadership in calling the industry to action. We have a special relationship with millennial and GenZ audiences around the world and know we have a responsibility to help keep them safe and slow the spread of COVID-19."

“We’re proud to join the Ad Council and leaders across the advertising and technology industries to raise awareness and help people stay safe during this unprecedented global crisis,” said Chris Stefanyk, Head of Brand Partnerships, Wattpad. “At Wattpad, we’ve built a platform where millions of people around the world come together to find community and experience the joy of storytelling. Today, we’re honoured to also become a resource for the critical information that can help win the battle against COVID-19.” 

"There is no more important message that we can deliver but to #StayHome. Save Lives." said ANA CEO Bob Liodice. "I urge all ANA members to join this effort and drive home this point to their staffs, to their consumers, to customers and, especially, to millennials. Everyone needs to do their part to fight the spread of COVID-19 by staying at home. We're holding hands with the Ad Council, Google and all of our sister trade associations to make a difference in our nation's fight against this pandemic."

"We are at a critical moment regarding the spread of COVID-19. Working together with the Ad Council, Google and other trade associations, the industry has the power to broadly communicate and reinforce the critical message of #StayHome. Save Lives.," said 4A's President and CEO Marla Kaplowitz. "As we shared with our members: Together, we are louder. Together, we can help slow the curve. Together, we can clearly communicate this critical message." 

Today's announcement is part of the Ad Council's ongoing response to the COVID-19 crisis, convening the country's largest broadcast media networks, digital and technology platforms, print and outdoor advertising and media companies and other industry leaders to ensure the American public is receiving crucial information during this unprecedented crisis. In the first two weeks, the Ad Council's crisis response efforts received more than $32 million in donated, earned and social media and the messages were seen over 1 billion times.

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The Ad Council

The Ad Council has a long history of creating life-saving public service communications in times of national crisis, starting in the organization's earliest days during World War II to September 11th and natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy. Its deep relationships with media outlets, the creative community, issue experts and government leaders make the organization uniquely poised to quickly distribute life-saving information to millions of Americans.

The Ad Council is where creativity and causes converge. The non-profit organization brings together the most creative minds in advertising, media, technology and marketing to address many of the nation's most important causes. The Ad Council has created many of the most iconic campaigns in advertising history. Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk. Smokey Bear. Love Has No Labels.

The Ad Council's innovative social good campaigns raise awareness, inspire action and save lives. To learn more, visit AdCouncil.org, follow the Ad Council's communities on Facebook and Twitter, and view the creative on YouTube.