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PSAs: Public Service Announcements

PSAsWhat are they?A public service announcement, or public service ad, is a message in the public interest disseminated without charge, with the objective of raising awareness, changing public attitudes and behavior towards a social issue.

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What is a PSA?▪ An advertisement broadcast on radio or television for the public

interest▪ PSAs are intended to modify public attitudes by raising awareness

about specific issues▪ A typical PSA is part of a public awareness campaign to inform or

educate the public about an issue such as smoking or compulsive gambling.

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The Beginning of PSA’s▪ Began as propaganda during WWII▪ Radio broadcasters and ad agencies offered to help

promote the war effort▪ Print, outdoor advertising and especially radio became the

carriers of such messages as “Loose lips sink ships,” “Keep ‘em Rolling” and a variety of exhortations to buy War Bonds

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“We can do it!”

According to the Encyclopedia of American Economic History, the “Rosie the Riveter” movement increased the number of working American women to 20 million by 1944, a 57% increase from 1940.

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Advertising Standards Canada▪ By the end of the war, the practice of volunteering free air time

had become institutionalized▪ ASC was founded (as the Canadian Advertising Advisory Board) in

1957 by the Canadian advertising industry to foster the ethical practice of advertising

▪ By the mid-1990s, Canadian TV produced some memorable PSAs…

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The Goal of a PSAThe goal of a PSA is to get someone to ACT, or change their BEHAVIOUR

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Parts of a PSA▪ Target Audience

▪ Message

▪ Organization

▪ Tag Line

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Target Audience▪ It’s important to think about the intended audience of

your PSA.

▪ What elements you include, as well as how you present the information, will vary based on your target audience.

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Age

Gender

Race

Socioeconomic Class

Education

Demograpics to think about:

Sexuality

Geographic Location

Values and Morals

Interests (sports, entertainment)

Religion

Politics

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Message▪ Without a clear message, the PSA is not

useful to the viewer▪ Examples of messages include:

□ Don’t drink and drive□ Drugs are unhealthy and

destructive□ Failing to put out a campfire can

cause a forest fire

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Organization▪ At the end of a PSA, it’s

important to put contact information for a local or national organization. This allows the viewer and opportunity to contact someone for more information or help.

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Tag Line▪ A tag line is a catchy one-sentence slogan that is stated

towards the end of the PSA□ It should be easy to remember□ Keep it short and simple

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Only YOU can prevent forest fires!

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Got Milk?

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This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs.

Any questions?

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Talk Only About the Results▪ Focus on how the person’s actions (or lack of them) will

have a visible, important result

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Use Real Language▪ Don’t use “commercial” language like “our quality

merchandise and competitive prices…”

▪ Instead of “To obtain participation details…” you say “To find out how to participate” or even better, “To find out how you can help”

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Use Emotion▪ People act based on emotional reasons

▪ People rationalize with logic, but are motivated by emotions

▪ Add emotion to your PSA to motivate people to act

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Make it Personally Relatable▪ A PSA is nothing more than a conversation with the

audience.

▪ Ask the audience personal questions like “have you ever been hungry?” “what would you do if?” “where will your children sleep tonight?”

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Identify the Organization▪ The sponsoring organization must be identified within

the PSA

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Deliver Exactly One “Core Message”▪ The “core message” is the one thing you want the

audience to hear, to understand and to remember.

▪ The “core message” gets people to act.

▪ Be clear. Be direct.

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Sound Effects▪ Sound effects can enhance a piece (e.g. a cash register

sound ringing to illustrate the point of not spending extra money)

▪ Overuse can cheapen or detract from your message

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How Long Should It Be?▪ Most often, it’s either 30 seconds or 60 seconds.

▪ Too long and you’ll lose your audience’s interest.

▪ Too short and they might not get the message.

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Points to Remember▪ A good public service announcement is for the good of the

community. For it to do good for the community, your PSA must:□ Attract the attention of your target audience□ Speak to the audience in their own language□ Relate to the audience’s lives□ Deliver a single core message□ Deliver the message with clarity□ Motivate the audience to act

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