The Ad Council: You Can’t Imagine the Reward by Barbarian
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When most people think of adoption, a cuddly baby usually comes to mind. But there are plenty of older children and teens in the foster care system who are looking for a permanent home. A series of public service advertisements is uncovering the joys and rewards of adopting these older children.
The Ad Council, along with the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and AdoptUSKids, is encouraging prospective parents to consider adopting teens from foster care by using real stories to reveal the bonds that cement a family together.
According to the organizations, teens make up approximately one-fifth of the youth in the US foster care system waiting to be adopted, and since 2013 the number of teens in foster care has increased each year. Teens in foster care face a particularly challenging time getting adopted, with 15- to 17-year-olds, waiting on average twice as long for an adoptive home as those 14 years of age and younger. The teenage years are an especially critical period for parental help and guidance.
Inspired by true stories and anecdotes from real families, the PSAs are filled with heartfelt memories that actual adoptive families have experienced after adopting a teen. Each PSA ends with “Learn about adopting a teen from foster care. You can’t imagine the reward,” to remind prospective parents that teens in foster care can also help them grow in new ways.
One spot shows a teen coming to his new home. His face shows that he feels uncomfortable and may not fit in. Over the course of the 60-second spot, we see his adoptive family welcome him, adding him to family photos and including him in dinner conversations.
There are also poignant docu-style videos featuring three real families talking about the rewards and experiences of adopting their teen. One compilation video shows the adopted teens reading messages from their adoptive parents on how they have helped change their lives for the better.
Credits
Barbarian
Courtney Berry Managing Director
Leo Leone Executive Creative Director
Matthew Gould Associate Creative Director
Brent Weldon Senior Copywriter
Joseph Guyt Executive Producer
Andrew Dawson Chief Strategy Officer
Rachel Gruber Senior Strategist
Erica Giordano Senior Account Director
Anthony Pelkey Assistant Account Executive
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Acres
Charlie Mysak Director
Andrew Simkiss Partner
Matt Mclaughlin Partner
Devin Tusa Head of Production
Willa Goldfeder Producer
Jai Lennard Stills Photographer
EDITORIAL: Whitehouse Post
Lizzy Graham Editor
Alejandro Villagran Assistant Editor
Ryan Smith Producer
Caitlin Grady Executive Producer
Carbon
Aubrey Woodiwiss Head of Color
Joe Nash Head of Production
Chris Wiseman Flame Artist
Joe Scaglione Flame Artist
AUDIO: Honeymix
Eric Thompson Mixer
Mary Tomasiewicz Executive Producer
MUSIC: Future Perfect
Maxwell Gosling Executive Producer
RADIO PRODUCTION: Pomann Sound
Justin Kaupp Audio Engineer
Josh Moyer Producer