United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service: Smokey Bear campaign
Mariko FujinakaOverview
Smokey Bear, the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) Forest Service's anti-forest fire icon, was conceived in 1944 to help inform the public about the hazards of forest fires, particularly those caused by humans. Though Smokey began as one among several advertising ideas, he soon claimed the limelight and became the primary representative for the Forest Service's forest fire prevention efforts. Smokey first appeared on posters, the mainstays of the campaigns, and other printed materials and branched out into television and radio in the late 1940s. Smokey and...