Messages of Hope

Last November, the Foundation for a Better Life, in partnership with the Outdoor Advertising Assn. of America (OAAA), launched a nationwide billboard campaign. The Pass It On billboards, which premiered on the NASDAQ electronic billboard in Times Square, comprise the outdoor arm of a continuing public-service-announcement (PSA) campaign from the Foundation for a Better Life, a nonprofit organization that promotes positive values. Throughout 2002, OAAA-member advertising companies worldwide will donate space on more than 10,000 displays for the billboards, with an estimated ad value exceeding $10 million. The Pass It On billboards were originally slated for a Times Square launch on Sept. 13. However, due to the tragic events of Sept. 11, the campaign was put on hold. To date, not only has the campaign been resurrected, it has also been expanded to celebrate the courage, selflessness and heroism of the countless Americans who responded to the attack on their country. The purpose of each billboard in the campaign is to relay a simple, yet powerful, message: Allow yourself to be inspired by the actions of others to do one thing a little better. And then pass along those values. The billboards will feature an eclectic mix of celebrities, historic legends and real-life heroes who demonstrate how human beings — when inspired — can beat the odds, defy circumstances and change things for the better. In addition to its involvement with the Pass It On project, the OAAA has launched its United We Stand campaign, also in response to Sept. 11. The goal of this campaign is to bring our country closer together by advertising white-typeface messages on black backgrounds. Although brief, these messages are profound: "In God We Trust." and "United We Stand." The images featured here represent a sampling of both campaigns’ messages of hope. For more information, visit www.forbetterlife.org or www.oaaa.org.