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Ford teams up with comedian Nate Bargatze. Ford has recruited comedian Nate Bargatze to help deliver a message that deserves more attention: The people who keep its vehicles running deserve some recognition, and America needs more people learning how to do their jobs. Bargatze brings the laughs, while Ford's technicians bring the mechanical knowledge. Judging by his own description of his repair experience, that division of responsibilities is probably best for everybody. If you've never seen Nate's standup routines, look him up on YouTube, he is hilarious. Writing for Ford's From the Road website, Bargatze recalled that his first used car had a sticky shift knob. His solution was to cover it with a tennis ball. That was apparently enough automotive innovation for one lifetime. The Bronco owner is now the face of Ford's "Real Parts. Real Pros. Real Easy." campaign, which launched Oct. 1 across streaming television, digital video and social media. The campaign promotes Ford parts, dealership service professionals and the convenience of service that can come to customers. According to Bargatze's article, Ford trained more than 26,000 technicians in 2025. Photo: Ford. The partnership also connects to a broader workforce effort. Bargatze was named host of Ford's second annual ACCELERATE the Essential Economy conference, held Sept. 30 at Michigan Central Station in Detroit. In her account of the event, Ford communications team member Kirsty McInnes described initiatives aimed at helping people discover skilled careers, finish training and enter the workforce. Those steps included expanded transportation support through Ford Philanthropy and $550,000 in joint support from Ford Philanthropy and JPMorganChase for Focus: HOPE, a Detroit nonprofit providing education and job training. The practical point is simple: Getting someone interested in a career does little good if that person cannot reach the classroom or complete the training. The size of the challenge is substantial. According to a Sept. 30 announcement from the Alliance for America's Skilled Trades, its new national report projects approximately 1.7 million skilled trades job openings annually through 2035. That figure covers openings created by growth and the need to replace workers leaving those occupations; it is not a prediction that 1.7 million jobs will go unfilled every year. The report examines 124 occupations across all 50 states, reaching well beyond automotive service. The alliance says training programs currently produce only 55 workers for every 100 needed, and just half of those enrolling in skilled trades training finish. It identifies transportation, child care and the need to earn a paycheck as practical barriers. Founded in July by BlackRock, Carhartt, Ford and Google, the alliance added 14 companies in September, including toolmakers, telecommunications providers and technology businesses. That range helps explain why the concern extends far beyond the dealership service lane. There is also a gap between interest and action. Writing on Ford's website, Derrick Feldmann, managing director of the Ad Council Research Institute, reported that 38% of surveyed students would consider a trades career, but only 11% planned to pursue one after high school. His explanation was that families often lack clear information about available careers, training requirements and how to get started. Parents were the strongest influence in students' decision-making networks, making them an essential audience, too. The Ad Council is developing a separate national public education campaign with founding partners Ford, Dycom, The Home Depot and the Wallace Foundation. Scheduled to launch in 2027, it aims to make those career paths easier to understand and pursue. Bargatze's service campaign supplies an entertaining introduction to a serious subject. Helping families see a clear route from interest to employment is the next step - and one that requires considerably more equipment than a tennis ball. Photo: Ford

OAAA and Ad Council partner to honor Platinum OBIE winner with donated media support. The medium's highest creative honor will now extend beyond awards night, harnessing the collective reach of OOH for public good in support of teen and young adult mental health WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 5, 2026 - For 84 years, the OBIE Awards have celebrated the very best in out of home (OOH) creativity. This year, the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) is partnering with the Ad Council to make the program's highest honor, the Platinum OBIE, even more meaningful. The 2026 Platinum winner will be honored through a collaboration with Seize the Awkward, a campaign from the Ad Council, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) that encourages teens and young adults to talk to their friends who may be struggling with their mental health. OAAA members will donate media inventory across markets and formats to amplify its message nationwide. "The Platinum OBIE represents the highest level of creative achievement in out of home, and we wanted to honor that achievement in a way that could have an impact far beyond awards night," said Anna Bager, President & CEO, OAAA. "Together with the Ad Council and our members, we can give the Platinum winner an opportunity to put the collective power of OOH behind a cause that matters. It is a meaningful way to celebrate extraordinary creativity while demonstrating what makes our medium the Human Medium." Seize the Awkward provides resources to help teens recognize the signs that a friend may need support. The campaign's latest creative, produced by Droga5, is titled "Let's Be Real," and highlights the importance of checking in, showing up and creating meaningful moments of connection with the people in its lives. The initiative builds on a longstanding partnership between OAAA and the Ad Council to bring public service messages to audiences through OOH. For years, OAAA members have donated media inventory to support Ad Council campaigns, using the national scale and local presence of OOH to amplify important messages in communities across the country. The Platinum OBIE initiative brings that shared commitment into the awards program in a new way, connecting the industry's highest creative honor with a cause the OOH industry can support together. "We're excited to build on our longstanding relationship with OAAA to further help us bring critical public service messages into communities nationwide," said Heidi Arthur, Chief Campaign and Program Officer, Ad Council. "This partnership celebrates exceptional creativity while using the power of the medium to address a critical issue in our country - helping teens overcome feelings of isolation and loneliness by leaning on moments of human connection." The partnership is one part of a broader evolution of the OBIE Awards this year. The awards return to New York City as a standalone celebration of OOH creativity, with a reimagined program featuring refreshed categories, an all-star jury of leading creative voices from across the advertising industry and a renewed focus on the strength of the creative idea. On October 15, the industry will come together at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) to recognize the brands, agencies and creatives behind the year's most outstanding work. Hosted by creative visionary Susan Credle and industry legend David Shing, the evening will culminate with the presentation of the Platinum OBIE by Scott Wells, CEO of Clear Channel Outdoor and Chair of the OAAA Board of Directors, alongside Heidi Arthur, Chief Campaign and Program Officer at the Ad Council. About the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) The Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) is the national trade association representing the out of home (OOH) advertising industry. OAAA's mission is to protect, promote, and advance the medium through government affairs and advocacy, industry research and market intelligence, brand and agency engagement, and industry leadership and convening. OAAA works to ensure OOH's essential role in the modern media mix by advancing standards, aligning the industry around shared priorities, and shaping the future of OOH. Founded in 1891, OAAA serves more than 850 member companies, including media owners, advertisers, agencies, ad tech providers, and suppliers. The association is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in New York City. For more information, visit oaaa.org. Media Contact: Cassady Nordeen [email protected] About the Ad Council The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and accelerating change around the most pressing issues in America. Since the non-profit's founding, the organization and its partners in advertising, media, marketing and tech have been behind some of the country's most iconic social impact campaigns - Smokey Bear, A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste, Love Has No Labels, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more. With a current focus on mental health, gun safety, the opioid epidemic, skill-based hiring and other critical issues, the Ad Council's national campaigns encompass advertising and media content, ground game and community efforts, trusted messenger and influencer engagement, and employer programs, among other innovative strategies to move the needle on the most important issues of the day. To learn more or get involved, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad Council's communities on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X, and view campaign creative on YouTube. Media Contact: Ben Dorf The Ad Council [email protected] Published: October 5, 2026

Ad Council PSA reveals the secret struggles of new motherhood. The Secret to Motherhood aims to break through the stigma around maternal mental health and connect struggling moms with resources. October 1, 2026 A screaming baby. Stretch marks. Crying in the shower. These harsh realities of early motherhood are too often kept secret, but a new public service announcement out today from the Ad Council aims to bring them into the light. Ahead of World Mental Health Day, the Ad Council launched "What's Her Secret?", a suite of PSAs meant to encourage new and expecting mothers to prioritize their mental health. The maternal mental health effort, known overall as The Secret to Motherhood, is a part of the Council's wider "Love, Your Mind" campaign for mental health awareness. The Ad Council | The Secret to Motherhood Longform English In a PSA created pro-bono by Mischief USA, a group of women gather in the park to catch up, asking questions like "How do you make it look so easy?" to one new mom. She answers the question with some consideration, citing her consistent routine and support system, all while the sleepless nights and daily struggles play on a loop in her head. When the chaos in her mind reaches a peak, the dialogue fades away and a voice-over kicks in, concluding: "There is no secret to motherhood. There are only secrets we're keeping about it." Maternal mental health conditions are extremely common. At least one in five mothers report symptoms of depression or anxiety during the postpartum period, according to the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance. However, three-quarters of those women do not receive treatment for their mental health and the consequences are often a matter of life and death. Suicide and overdose resulting from mental health conditions are a leading cause of death for new mothers in the US, accounting for 27.7 perecent of pregnancy-related deaths in 2022, according to the CDC's most recent report on maternal mortality prevention. With The Secret to Motherhood PSAs, the Ad Council aims to reach women in the often-vulnerable early stages of motherhood and direct them to access expert-vetted resources at LoveYourMind.com/moms, a new hub for maternal mental health. From a creative standpoint, the campaign challenges the pressure that many moms feel to be perfect, instead inviting them to speak up about the emotionally complex realities of pregnancy and early motherhood, and to seek support when needed. Bianca Guimaraes, founding partner and executive creative director at Mischief USA, shared her own experience with postpartum depression in a press release for the project. She described pushing the stroller through the park for hours to pass the time, envying the freedom and independence of the childless people she saw on her way. "Those were thoughts I didn't feel like I could say out loud," Guimaraes said. "That's what this work is about: the thoughts we hide because they don't sound like what a new mother is supposed to feel. I loved my children deeply. I was also struggling deeply. Both things can be true." The campaign will run nationwide in both English and Spanish across broadcast TV, online video, out-of-home, radio, and digital media platforms. Per the Ad Council's model, various media outlets donated the time and space for the PSAs to run, with pro-bono support from Mischief USA, WPP Media, and Datonics. Additional media partners for the campaign include Amazon Ads, Fuse Media, iHeartMedia, Kargo, Pinterest, and Reddit. Andrea Michelson is the healthcare marketing reporter at ADWEEK. She previously covered the coronavirus pandemic for Business Insider and was part of the New York Times Covid mapping effort in 2020. Recommended videos