National Engineers Week Announces Billboard Campaign 2001

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA, September 21, 2000 -- For its Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration, the National Engineers Week Committee will again take its message that “Engineers Turn Ideas into Reality” to the streets and the highways through its Outdoor Advertising Campaign. The goal of the program, which will be led by student and professional sections of engineering societies around the country, is to place a public service announcement extolling engineers on a minimum of 100 billboards, and 1000 public transit buses, during the month of February.

Building on the increased success of the program over the past four years, the campaign has a dual purpose: to increase grassroots involvement in National Engineers Week, particularly among undergraduate engineering students, and to make a broader audience aware of the week-long celebration and the technological achievements it honors.

The program works as follows: First, chapters should contact National Engineers Week and request an Outdoor Advertising Campaign kit. Then, they should identify one (or several) billboards or other public advertising spaces within their community, preferably in prominent spots which can be seen by a large number of people; identify the agency which rents out the space; and call or write to the agency asking to secure it for February 2001. Once the space is secured, but no later than December 1, the group will mail to National Engineers Week headquarters a reservation form, providing all the details on where and when the materials should be delivered. Headquarters will provide the artwork and will mail the completed materials directly to the agency.

One of the most effective methods of public advertising is placement of “billboards” in and on metro buses. Local transit authorities are often receptive to placement of these public service announcements either inside or on the outside of buses. National Engineers Week will furnish specially-sized placards to fit standard bus placements, but engineering groups should be aware that although bus companies may donate the space, there is usually a sizable charge for labor.

For 2001, the campaign will again use the theme “Engineers: Turning Ideas Into Reality,” with artwork portraying engineers as hands-on problem-solvers. Each poster will contain a tagline stating “This message brought to you by the National Engineers Week Committee and.…….,” with the name of the sponsoring chapter or group, giving the ad more of a local focus and providing a plug for the group doing the work.

The Outdoor Advertising Campaign planning packet will be available by October 1. If you’d like to order a packet, write to National Engineers Week, PO Box 1020, Sewickley, PA 15143; phone 412-741-1393; or via e-mail to eweekorders@abdintl.com.

Since its founding in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers, National Engineers Week, a consortium of more than 100 engineering, scientific, education societies, and major corporations, has helped increase public awareness and appreciation of technology and the engineering profession. National Engineers Week 2001 co-chairs are the National Society of Professional Engineers and IBM International Foundation.