Forget bears, he's always been smarter than the average person

By J. Thomas Duffy

Give a big "Happy B'Day shout out to Smokey Bear!

He's hit the big 6-5!

And, it's a good thing he's a fictional icon, otherwise, if he hadn't already been replaced by a younger bear, displaced due to outsourcing, been bought, and liquidated, hitting 65, he would be slapped with mandatory retirement, and, likely, given a watered-down pension (if one, at all).



Happy 65th Birthday, Smokey Bear!

Smokey Bear is celebrating his 65th birthday in a series of new PSAs from the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters in conjunction with the Ad Council. The TV, radio, print and online campaign is being launched in time for the July 4 holiday to raise awareness among people lighting campfires and outdoor BBQs and setting off fireworks

[snip]

Since his "birth" on Aug. 9, 1944, Smokey Bear has become a recognized symbol of conservation and protection of America's forests. According to the Ad Council, his message has helped to reduce the number of acres burned annually by wildfires from about 22 million in 1944 to an average 7 million today. Of those fires, nine out of 10 are caused by people. At the same time, Smokey has become one of the most recognizable figures in the U.S., ranking with Mickey Mouse and Santa Claus, according to the Ad Council. Smokey is recognized by 97% of adults, and 75% can recall "Only you can prevent wildfires" without prompting, according to an Ad Council tracking survey.

[snip]

"Smokey Bear is the center of the longest-running -- and one of the most successful -- public service campaigns in U.S. history," Peggy Conlon, president-CEO of the Ad Council, said in announcing the new campaign. "Our 'Wildfire Prevention' campaign has helped children and adults throughout the country understand their role in preventing wildfires, and these new PSAs and online components will continue to have a significant impact."

And, save the emails, Smokey Bear is his name.

From Wikipedia:

Smokey's correct full name is Smokey Bear. In 1952, songwriters Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins had a hit with "Smokey the Bear". The pair said that "the" was added to Smokey's name to keep the song's rhythm. This small change has caused confusion among Smokey fans ever since.[2] Note that, from the beginning, Smokey's name was intentionally spelled differently from the adjective smoky. The Forest Service emphatically denies that the name was ever "Smokey the Bear"; however, in the 1950s, that variant of the name became very widespread both in the popular imagination and in print, including at least one standard encyclopedia.[3] The campaign to remind the public of the correct version of the name is almost as old as the Smokey Bear campaign itself.

The fictional character Smokey Bear is administered by three entities: the United States Forest Service, the National Association of State Foresters, and the Ad Council. Smokey Bear's name and image are protected by U.S. federal law, the Smokey Bear Act of 1952 (16 U.S.C. 580 (p-2); 18 U.S.C. 711).[4]

And remember, "Only you can prevent forest fires."

With the longevity (and tons of money) of this campaign, I wouldn't mind seeing, say, a Leno "Jaywalking", or some other man-on-the-street interview, posing the question to average citizens: "Who is it said can prevent forest fires?"

Happy B'Day Smokey Bear!



Visit Smokey Bears' website.

(Cross-posted at The Garlic.)