• April 25, 2001

The Advertising Council and the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) today announced the launch of new public service advertisements (PSAs) created to raise awareness about the increased role of the National Guard and Reserve in military operations. The new PSAs, part of the Ad Council's ESGR campaign that began in 1972, recognize the critical role civilian employers of National Guard and Reserve members play by supporting them as they train and serve in the Armed Forces.

Created by the volunteer ad agency Warwick Baker O'Neill, the new PSAs are aimed at combating a continued lack of awareness regarding the increased use of the National Guard and Reserves. The television PSA, produced in 30- and 20-second versions, depicts various military members involved in land, sea, and air operations. Intermittently, the action stops and the camera closes in on an individual, at which point the "civilian" job of the Reservist appears in print. The viewer learns that the same military members who fly fighter planes, wade through water, and drop from helicopters are office managers, steelworkers, math teachers, and bankers. The message is that employers have done their part by allowing the National Guard or Reserve members time off from their regular jobs.