Goodwill^® and the Ad Council Ask Communities to “Donate Stuff. Create Jobs.” Through New PSAs

Through its 165 local agencies in the United States and Canada, Goodwill works to provide employment training, job placement and other community-based services such as career counseling, financial education, résumé preparation, and mentoring to people with disabilities and disadvantages, and anyone facing challenges to finding employment. In 2013, more than 9.8 million people were served by Goodwill agencies in the United States and Canada, and Goodwill assisted more than 261,000 people in obtaining employment.

“At Goodwill, we strive every day to offer career navigation and skills attainment in order to provide long-term economic stability for individuals, their families and the greater community,” said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “Everyone should have the chance to succeed through the power of work, and we hope that the newest Goodwill and Ad Council-created PSAs will reach people facing challenges to finding employment in this difficult economy.”

Created pro bono by ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi, the English and Spanish language television, radio, print, outdoor and online PSAs aim to help people understand that donated goods are not an endpoint but the beginning of job placement and job training. Through depictions of a boy growing up with a bicycle that he ultimately donates to Goodwill, one PSA conveys how the sale of donated items provides people with new opportunities. A second set of TV and radio PSAs, featuring a timeless speech on employment from Franklin D. Roosevelt, reinforces how donated goods can implement positive change in communities. All PSAs conclude with the tagline, “Donate Stuff. Create Jobs.” and direct audiences to visit Goodwill.org to find their nearest donation centers.

“These compelling ads are a wonderful extension of our campaign,” said Lisa Sherman, president and CEO of the Ad Council. “Our goal is to help people look at their donated items as more than just used objects but as a resource for change that can empower people in their communities.”

The Goodwill PSA campaign, in partnership with the Ad Council, launched in September 2013 and has received $51 million in donated media support, contributing to Goodwill receiving more than 86 million donations.

“We’re honored to partner with the Ad Council to assist Goodwill in connecting people with employment. We hope these powerful stories will inspire donations, create more jobs and effect positive cultural change,” said Jay Benjamin, chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi.

The Ad Council
The Ad Council is a private, nonprofit organization with a rich history of marshaling volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public. Having produced thousands of PSA campaigns addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has effected, and continues to effect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action and saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit www.adcouncil.org, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or view our PSAs on YouTube.

Goodwill Industries International
Goodwill Industries International is a network of 165 community-based agencies in the United States and Canada with a presence in 14 other countries. Goodwill is one of America’s top 20 most inspiring companies (Forbes, 2014). Goodwill agencies are innovative and sustainable social enterprises that fund job training programs, employment placement services and other community-based programs by selling donated clothing and household items in more than 3,000 stores and online at shopgoodwill.com. Local Goodwill agencies also build revenue and create jobs by contracting with businesses and government to provide a wide range of commercial services, including packaging and assembly, food services preparation, and document imaging and shredding. In 2013, more than 9.8 million people in the United States and Canada benefited from Goodwill’s career services. Goodwill channels 83 percent of its revenues directly into its programs and services. To learn more, visit goodwill.org.

To find a Goodwill location near you, use the online locator at Goodwill.org or call (800) GOODWILL. Follow us on Twitter: @GoodwillIntl and @GoodwillCapHill, and find us on Facebook: GoodwillIntl.

Saatchi & Saatchi
Saatchi & Saatchi (saatchi.com) is known for its outstanding creative ideas that generate powerful emotional connections between consumers and products. This is a key element in Lovemarks, Saatchi & Saatchi’s unique methodology for elevating the status of brands created to create “loyalty beyond reason” and “inspirational consumers.”

Contacts:

Lauren Lawson-Zilai
Goodwill
Phone: (240) 333-5266
[email protected]

Ellyn Fisher
Ad Council
Phone: (212) 984 – 1971
[email protected]

Lynne Collins
Saatchi & Saatchi
(212) 463-2734
[email protected]