Former Razorback and Current Chicago Bulls Player Ronnie Brewer to Star in Local Anti-Tobacco Advertising

UAPB/Stamp Out Smoking Utilizes NBA Star to Maximize Tobacco Cessation Messaging

The Minority Initiative of Stamp Out Smoking will launch this year’s public education efforts with new television and radio advertising featuring former Arkansas Razorback and current Chicago Bulls player, Ronnie Brewer. The new ads will air in early October and run throughout 2011, ending in June 2012.

The Minority Initiative of Stamp Out Smoking is managed via a strategic partnership between the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office, the Master of Science Degree in Addiction Studies and agency of record, Advantage Communications, Inc.

“Ronnie is the epitome of living a healthy, smoke-free lifestyle,” stated Dr. Calvin Johnson, Program Director of the Minority Initiative Sub-Recipient Grant Office. “Each year, more than 47,000 African Americans die from a tobacco-related illness. Understanding the importance of remaining aggressive and relevant to this target audience, we are confident that Ronnie’s delivery of our anti-tobacco messaging will resonate throughout this year and for those to come. We appreciate Advantage Communications’ recommendation to partner with Ronnie for this campaign. ” 

Entitled I Can’t Imagine, the TV/radio advertisements highlight Ronnie in the element that has deemed him a star - basketball. Leveraging this star power and appeal to the Minority Initiative of Stamp Out Smoking’s target audience (African American males, ages 18+), the TV/radio advertisements feature Ronnie reminiscing on the path he has taken to pave his career while underscoring how life may be totally different had he chosen to smoke.

“It was indeed a pleasure to work with Ronnie for this creative initiative,” stated Toni McCastle, Media Liaison for MISRGO and the Addiction Studies Program. “With our charge to create healthier lives in our state by sharing the life-saving benefits of tobacco cessation and encouraging minority populations to quit tobacco use, we could not have chosen a better advocate to carry this message.”

For more information about the new advertising or about the Minority Initiative of Stamp Out Smoking, contact Toni McCastle at 870.575.8923.