• June 6, 2003

Corbis, a digital media and stock image agency, has launched a one-million-dollar image donation program for pro-bono advertising. Leveraging its collection of several million images, Corbis will waive up to one million dollars in licensing fees for non-profit organizations using images from the Bettmann Archive in public service advertising campaigns. Non-profit organizations worldwide are eligible to participate in the image donation program. Corbis is working with the Ad Council, the leader in developing public service campaigns, to share the program with organizations and agencies throughout the United States. Corbis is also reaching out to its own clients in this effort, encouraging advertising agencies, design houses and publishers to draw on the image donation program for their pro-bono work. Corbis announced the initiative as part of its yearlong celebration of Otto Bettmann's 100th birthday. Bettmann founded the archive in 1935 following his departure to the United States from Nazi Germany. The archive is one of the world's largest and oldest collections of photographs, containing 11.5 million images. Corbis purchased the archive in 1995.