Thursday, December 28, 2001
New State Ad Package
Promotes Reading Activity
By Staff Writers

    SACRAMENTO -- The Office of the Secretary for Education today unveiled READ California's new advertising campaign designed to encourage children to read on a daily basis.
     The campaign includes English and Spanish language television commercials, billboards and a radio ads developed by advertising agency Lawrence & Ponder IdeaWorks, of Newport Beach.
     Three 15- and 30-second television spots will debut at the end of December, targeting kids aged 9 through 11, teens aged 14 through 16, and parents.
     All feature the tagline, "Read Today. See Where it Takes You." Viacom and Clear Channel have donated the space for 375 billboards throughout the state.
     The approach to the ads takes into account recent studies that show that getting children to enjoy reading while they are young is critical, and parents who become involved at home help their children do better in school.
     "Children who read every day go further in life and have more options from which to choose," says state Secretary for Education Kerry Mazzoni. "Reading scores of California children are on the rise and programs like READ California have contributed to these gains. Another important factor is parental involvement. Parents who read to their children every day make a significant contribution to their child's future success."
     READ California was established by the California Legislature in 1999 as a $4 million advertising and public relations campaign to promote the involvement of all Californians in encouraging youngsters to read.