NOREEN: Smokey Bear is a tough act to follow

You might be able to prevent forest fires, but you can’t stop Smokey Bear, who turns 65 this week without a trace of gray, showing no signs that he’s lost a step in his long-running campaign.

“The message that still stands is one of personal responsibility,” said Barbara Timock, spokeswoman for the Pike-San Isabel National Forest.

Only you can prevent forest fires.

Smokey, probably the most successful marketing cartoon figure in history, taught generations of Americans to fear forest fires, and the inescapable message was that all fires are bad. In the shadow of World War II, Smokey at times wasn’t all that warm and fuzzy — he tried to lay a guilt trip in one poster

(http://www.state.sc.us/forest/posters.htm has a history of Smokey Bear posters), standing with a fire in the background with the message, “This shameful Waste Weakens America.” A couple of times Smokey used a religious theme, like “Thou Shalt Not Destroy Thy Forests.”

Given today’s increased use of prescribed burns to mimic the benefits of wildfires, it might be unfortunate that for decades, Smokey essentially yelled “fire” in a crowded theater. Add to that the inevitability of huge fires during drought years, and it’s been tough to re-educate the public.

But you have to give Smokey this: He always meant well.

We’ve liked Smokey, trusted him, even as his message has changed — softened over the years to accommodate a more ecological theme, even to the point that forests fires are part of nature’s plan.

“Everybody has to evolve, and Smokey has, too,” Timock said.

Nechie Hall, CEO of Vladimir Jones, a top advertising firm in Colorado Springs, said Smokey, “as an advertising tool, is genius. They created a character that entertained, educated and changed behavior.”

Hall said Smokey succeeded because “he’s so believable and he was telling you to do something good.”

From a purely analytical marketing viewpoint, Hall said the bottom line is that Smokey Bear raised consciousness, “and that’s what advertising is about. Any ad program that endures 65 years is genius.”

Indeed, Smokey Bear is part of the culture. He’s “appeared” with Bing Crosby, Art Linkletter and Dinah Shore.
The Forest Service knew it had a good thing going and it tried to spin it off. Woodsy Owl came along with his “Give a hoot, don’t pollute” message, but Smokey proved a tough act to follow. Woodsy didn’t really catch on, and his message now has been changed to “Lend a hand, care for the land.”

“I didn’t even know there still was a Woodsy Owl,” Hall said, and if she is unaware of Woodsy, well, that’s says it all.

Sorry, Woodsy. You always were a strange bird. Smokey, happy birthday, pardner.
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