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Smokey Bear has educated generations of Americans about how to prevent wildfires since the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service introduced the mascot in 1944. A nostalgic campaign celebrates the character’s 80th birthday and the impact of the country’s longest-running public-service announcement, while keeping it fresh with a new voice actor and look.
“Decades,” created pro bono by agency FCB, sees actor Brian Tyree Henry take on the voice of Smokey Bear. Known for his roles in Atlanta, Bullet Train and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Henry follows in the footsteps of Sam Elliott, Al Roker and Betty White, who have previously voiced the mascot.
In the new ad, Smokey Bear reflects on how he’s spent decades teaching everything he knows about wildfire prevention. Similar to last year’s “Smokey Is Within” campaign, shifts in camera perspective, reflections in mirrors and footage in camcorders depict regular people throughout the years as they take the bear’s lessons to heart and share them with others.
FCB New York and special effects studio Alterian spent 16 weeks developing a new Smokey Bear operated by four puppeteers, so that his classic line, “Only you can prevent wildfires,” could be delivered without computer-generated imagery.
“Smokey Bear and his iconic message have been welcomed into our homes and made a permanent fixture of American history and culture,” Ad Council president and CEO Lisa Sherman said in a statement. “That kind of legacy is only possible because of the continued innovation from FCB, NASF (the National Association of State Foresters) and the USDA Forest Service to keep Smokey relevant while his message remains consistent.”
The campaign will run across TV, radio, digital, print and out-of-home. FCB also worked with illustrator Sam Gilbey to develop a series of vintage posters based on versions of Smokey from the 1950s, 1970s and 1980s.
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