Ad Council

The dominant nonprofit advertising organization in the United States, with unmatched relationships across the entire media and creative industry ecosystem.

The Ad Council is a nonprofit organization founded in 1942 that produces, distributes, and promotes public service announcements (PSAs) on behalf of nonprofit organizations and government agencies. It is best known for creating some of the most iconic campaigns in American advertising history, including Smokey Bear ('Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires'), 'Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk,' and more recently, COVID-19 vaccine awareness and mental health initiatives. The organization works with volunteer advertising agencies, media companies, and corporate partners to create high-quality campaigns at no cost to the cause sponsors, relying on donated media time and space for distribution. In the AdTech ecosystem, the Ad Council occupies a unique position as a mission-driven intermediary that bridges the worlds of commercial advertising and public service. It leverages relationships with major media companies — including television networks, digital platforms, social media giants, and out-of-home providers — to secure billions of dollars in donated media annually. The organization has increasingly embraced digital and data-driven strategies, partnering with platforms like Google, Facebook, and Spotify to extend PSA reach and measure campaign impact. The Ad Council's significance in the broader advertising landscape lies in its ability to mobilize the entire media and creative industry around social causes. It serves as a trusted convener, bringing together Fortune 500 companies, top creative agencies, and media conglomerates to address pressing societal issues ranging from public health and safety to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Its campaigns are a proving ground for cause-marketing best practices and often set benchmarks for nonprofit communications.