Smokey Bear turns 80 as celebs, influencers and the White House celebrate him
The Ad Council character, who’s been warning us about forest fires since 1944, gets a yearlong birthday party
Editor's Pick
Happy birthday, Smokey Bear!
Today (August 9), the mascot known for appearing in the U.S. Forest Service's wildfire prevention campaign, the longest-running public service announcement (PSA) campaign in U.S. history, turns 80 years old.
To celebrate eight decades of Smokey Bear teaching humans how to prevent wildfires, the Ad Council, the USDA Forest Service (USFS), the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) and agency of record FCB, which has led Smokey campaigns since its origin during World War II, have tapped dozens of influencers to create social content welcoming Smokey to his 80s.
Influencers, brands and notable celebs such as The Retirement House, Grandma Droniak, Carol Starr, Mychal Threets, the Bennet Gang, Bill Nye, Sparky the Fire Dog and even the White House are wishing Smokey a Happy Birthday on social, sharing wildfire prevention education tips for the next generation of outdoorsy adventurists. The Weather Company will also release new PSAs about wildfire prevention tips to honor Smokey Bear.
The celebratory social media activations build on the 80th birthday campaign that has been running since the beginning of the year, called “Decades.” A spot released earlier this month, voiced by Brian Tyree Henry, recalls Smokey Bear’s history and legacy of being a staple to wildfire prevention messaging and teaching people how to protect their outdoor environments.
“For 80 years, Smokey Bear has been a symbol for wildfire prevention, educating generations of Americans about their personal responsibility in preventing unplanned human-caused wildfires,” said Forest Service chief Randy Moore. “Celebrating this major milestone with our partners brings attention to Smokey’s message, which is as relevant today as it was in the past and will be long into the future.”
In addition to the spot, throughout the last several months, Smokey Bear’s social media accounts have shared archival artifacts of the character, including merchandise, stamps, posters and more, for each decade since the 1940s.
Posters designed in the style of a decade (like the above ’80s poster) also commemorate the occasion.
“The work celebrates the decades of impact that Smokey's had,” Tracy Danicich, group campaign director at the Ad Council, told Ad Age. “Scenes are shot in the style of the [various] decades—the ’50s, the ’70s, the ’80s, and, of course, the present day—and they reflect the relationship that Smokey's had with generations of Americans.”
Smokey Bear emerged as a PSA character in 1944, during World War II, when fears of incendiary shells led to his introduction as a symbol of fire prevention. Through artist Rudy Wendelin’s artwork and celebrities who brought their own charm to the campaign—including Bing Crosby, Ray Charles, Stephen Colbert, Al Roker, Betty White, Sam Elliott and most recently, Brian Tyree Henry—Smokey’s image became a staple of forest fire prevention, evolving through decades of campaign materials.
Over the years, Smokey has turned into a presence in state and national forests, and his notoriety has led to the development of themed postage stamps, mentions in songs like “Drive-In" by the Beach Boys, toys and more. Drawings, animations, CGI renderings and even once a live bear mascot have turned Smokey into a mainstay of American culture through posters, radio ads, TV spots, billboards and merchandise. And his message “Only YOU can prevent forest fires” has remained an instantly recognizable slogan.
Below see two archival campaigns—"Thanks from All of Us" (1974) and "Happy 40th Birthday" (1983).
The bear’s a legend. Smokey has met every president since 1944 (that’s 14 presidents) and gone to space in his lifetime.
That’s why, for the big 8-0, it’s expected that plenty of high-profile people will wish Smokey (who is a celeb in his own right) a happy birthday. However, the Ad Council hopes even more everyday people will shout him out on social media, using the hashtags #SmokeyBear80 and #OnlyYou to join the party.
Most recently, Smokey invited people to help him celebrate his birthday by sending him postcards—with extra bonus points if they use a vintage Smokey Bear stamp.
The Ad Council also created a dedicated site, smokeybearbirthday.org, where fans can see what in-person Smokey Bear events will take place in their area throughout the year. The campaign will continue to run through November supported by media companies The Atlantic, NPR, Pinterest, Starcom and Twitch.
“Our forest lands, like Smokey himself, are integral to American culture. Our nation relies on healthy, managed forests for everything from clean air and water to economic prosperity, sustainable forest products, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, and much more,” said NASF president and South Carolina State Forester Scott Phillips. “The endurance of Smokey’s wildfire prevention message speaks to the role of every individual in that management. State Foresters do everything they can to protect our forests and mitigate disasters, but only you can prevent wildfires.”
See more archival posters from 1949, 1965 and 1982, respectively, below:
More Creativity coverage from Ad Age:
- The best ads of 2024 (so far).
- See this week’s top 5 campaigns.
- AMV BBDO made a striking new film for Bodyform.
- Nike’s Olympics campaign explores the winner’s mindset.
- Channel 4 made a hard-hitting Paris 2024 Paralympics ad.
- 15 hidden gems among the Cannes Lions winners.
- Meet the interns who won gold in Cannes for a poop joke.
- Nick Cohen looks back at Mads Dogs & Englishmen.
Sign up for our daily Creativity newsletter to see the best stories of the day.
Credits
- Date
- Aug 09, 2024
- Agency :
- FCB
- Client :
- Ad Council
Need a credit fix? Contact the Creativity Editors
