Talk2theBrand

Smokey Bear turns 65 this year, but the U.S. Forest Service isn’t letting him retire.  Instead, Smokey is starring in a series of new PSAs being launched during the July 4th holiday.

Although Smokey now qualifies for the senior discount, he has kept up with the times.  He has his own Facebook profile and a MySpace page.  According to research from the Ad Council, Smokey is one of the most recognizable figures in the U.S. — right up there with Mickey Mouse and Santa Claus.  Over the last 65 years, media outlets have donated more than $1 billion in advertising for Smokey’s wildfire prevention campaigns.

The campaigns appear to have been effective:  the average number of acres destroyed by wildfires — most of them caused by human error — has gone down from 22 million in 1944 to about 7 million in recent years.  So, this holiday, as you light the barbecue and shoot off fireworks, keep in mind, “Only you can prevent wildfires.“

For more fun facts on Smokey Bear — including why some of us erroneously think of him as “Smokey THE Bear” — check out his website.