[Read in formal elderly British man voice]
Observe, if you will, the American advertising agency, creating its pro-bono work for the so-called “Advertising Council.” The agency does this so as to earn media coverage in the “trade press” and increase its profile on the national stage, thereby increasing its chances of potentially winning what one might call “real business” from paying clients.
Today we see the agency calling itself FCB West return to the classic character Smokey Bear, who has been known to prevent fires (forest-based or otherwise) for some 70-plus years.
Thank you to FCB for not making him CGI.
Because we are dumb, we did not know that the Ad Council created Smokey, who turns 73 today, or that there is no “the” in his official name. We also learned that there’s never a dull moment for Bear, because the threat of fire in close proximity to combustible materials doesn’t really go away.
Also, he was based on a real bear?
“his evolution in the iconic figure of Smokey Bear brings him closer to a younger audience and further cements his reputation as wildfire prevention’s most loveable spokesperson,” said CEO Joe Oh of FCB West, which is handling his various social media accounts in addition to the digital video.
That Sam Elliot VO at the end makes it all worthwhile. Dude truly does sound like he’s chewing gravel every time he talks.
This article originally appeared in AdWeek.