Smokey

I love the prevent forest fire ads that use classic Disney movies. Seriously, does anything make you feel more like protecting the forest than childhood memories of Bambi's dad telling him his mother can't be with him anymore? (Too sad. I just watched that clip. I realize his mother died because of hunters not the fire, but there was a fire at the end of the movie. All I remember is Bambi is sad and there is a forest fire in it, which is what I need to know to make the ad work.) So I clicked on that ad and Smokey's website is actually really cool. He has a museum section where you can learn trivia like, "Is it Smokey Bear or Smokey the Bear? Find out here!" My favorite is the vault containing all the advertising ever used to prevent forest fires (Smokey is the longest running public service in U.S. History). Here are a few of the most awesome (and morbid) posters (they were all pretty cool until about the year 2000. I'm not sure who tried to change them up but you do miss the cuddly woodland creatures).

I was just thinking about Smokey and I wonder how many people these days even have access to forests where they could encounter the possibility of causing a forest fire. We still have lots of fires, but maybe not as many forests or people that visit them. Don't worry Smokey, you are still relevant!