Paid vs. PSAs

"Line Between Public Service, Paid Ads Blurs"

Source: Advertising Age, October 8, 1990

Synopsis: Story discusses the controversy surrounding corporations that underwrite PSA campaigns for worthy causes by funneling funds through a non-profit. A campaign funded by Quaker Oats Co. for the American Medical Association, which used actor Wilfred Brimley, who also stars in paid spots, as well as others are cited as examples.

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"PSAs - What Can They Accomplish - To Buy or Not to Buy?"

Author: B. Goodwill, Source: Spring 1990 Public Service Report Newsletter

Synopsis: Evaluation data from business reply cards and the Broadcast Advertisers Reports was used to develop a profile of typical radio and TV PSA attainment and the impact of paid advertising on PSAs. Sidebar includes tips for "High Impact Broadcast PSAs."

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"Paid-Vs Donated Media Strategies for PSA Campaigns"

Authors: John Murray, Jr., Atonie Stam and John Lastovicka Public Opinion Quarterly Vol. 60: 1-29

Synopsis: PSA campaigns have traditionally relied on donated rather than paid advertising media. Recently, however, organizations have questioned whether donated-media strategies should be abandoned for paid campaigns. The article examines this issue in a three-market field experiment comparing the effectiveness of these two methods in decreasing youth drinking and driving. Note: article is complex and scholarly with extensive mathematical formulas and footnotes.

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"First Ever PSA Conference - Great Ideas, New Directions"

Author: Lew Brodsky, May 1989 NAGC News Newsletter

Synopsis: The first conference exclusively dedicated to public service advertising was held in Washington, DC to review the entire spectrum of PSAs, what works, new media habits, evaluation procedures and guidelines for PSA network clearance.

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"Tough Competition for Free Television Time Leads Charities to Weigh Paid Commercials"

Author: Elizabeth Klein, The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Synopsis: "Stiff competition for donations of TV PSAs has prompted many of the nation's maor charities to consider paying for broadcast time and to explore other ways to get their messages on the air."

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