Mendoza Dillon Creates PSA For Ad Council & PTA.

The Advertising Council, in partnership with National PTA (Parent Teacher Association), announced today the launch of a national public service advertising (PSA) campaign designed to encourage parents to become more involved in their children’s school and education. Created pro bono by ad agencies Mendoza Dillon, the campaign targets Spanish-speaking parents of school-age children.

In the United States, there are an estimated 50 million children enrolled in public school. According to National PTA, while many parents support learning at home, only one in four parents are actively involved in their children’s schools. That number shrinks to one in nine among working parents whose schedules often present additional challenges. Studies have shown that parent involvement in a child’s education leads to higher grades and test scores, better attendance, increased motivation, better self-esteem, higher graduation rates and a greater likelihood of pursuing a postsecondary education.

Sponsored by National PTA, the new campaign issues a national call to parents to find out how they can become actively involved in their children’s education and schools. The campaign includes television, radio, newspaper, magazine, outdoor and Internet PSAs which are designed to increase awareness of the benefits of parent involvement and provide parents with practical ways to help their children succeed in school and in life.

“Parent involvement is critical to a child’s success in education and in life,” according to Peggy Conlon, President & CEO of The Advertising Council. “We are proud to partner with National PTA to develop a campaign that communicates this important message in such a unique and entertaining way. The PSAs will not only raise awareness of the benefits of getting involved, but they will also provide parents with the resources they need to enhance their child’s education and future.”

“For today’s busy parents and caregivers, being actively involved in their children’s schools may seem easier said than done. But, it is important for them to understand the significant impact their involvement has on their child’s education and future,” said National PTA President Linda Hodge. “We are so pleased that our partnership with the Ad Council gives us the opportunity to reach even more families about the importance of parent involvement in the school.”

Barry Krause, President of J. Walter Thompson Chicago said, “We are delighted to lend our expertise to the PTA and the Ad Council. The campaign breaks the mold of public service ads and uses celebrities in an unexpected, powerful way. The work drives home the message that nothing takes the place of an aware, concerned parent. All of us have a duty to be a partner in our children’s education.”

The Spanish-language PSAs, created pro bono by Mendoza Dillon reveal the critical role parents play in their children’s education. One radio spot, “Excuses,” features examples of a child’s excuses for school absences. Then, the focus changes to why the parent has also been absent from school. One of the television PSAs features a young boy trying to play the trumpet in his classroom. Then, a father is shown playing the trumpet for the boy’s class as students watch and listen with admiration. The PSAs encourage parents to “Visit. Participate. Collaborate. Share.” and “Be a 4.0 parent.” The PSAs were produced by the Miami-based production company, America Filmworks, and directed by Marcelo Paez.

“When we were contacted to work on this assignment, we jumped at the opportunity. Being parents of school-aged children, we know first-hand the needs of our schools and the advantages a kid experiences when parents get involved,” said Mendoza Dillon President and COO, Ingrid Otero-Smart. “The Hispanic market is not often exposed to the message that they should get involved with the schools, so Hispanic parents may be unsure of what they can do to help. We hope that this campaign will help get the message to the Hispanic community that we can make a big difference in our kids’ school performance.”