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The Ad Council and TVB launch 22nd annual Project Roadblock to prevent Buzzed Driving. Hundreds of local broadcast TV stations nationwide unite during the holiday season to air lifesaving PSAs. New York, Dec. 18, 2025 - The Ad Council, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB), today announced the launch of the 22nd annual Project Roadblock. Each year, local broadcast TV stations across the country donate airspace to Buzzed Driving Prevention public service advertisements (PSAs) during the holiday season, reminding holiday travelers about the dangers of buzzed driving and encouraging them to plan ahead for a safe ride. Project Roadblock spans the six-day period between December 26 and 31, with a special emphasis on 10 p.m. local time on New Year's Eve - an important night to encourage safe and sober driving. According to data from NHTSA, alcohol-impaired driving crashes claimed 4,931 lives during the 2019-2023 December months. On average, alcohol-impaired driving crashes claimed one life every 42 minutes, according to the latest available data. "For more than two decades, our partnership with TVB and hundreds of local broadcast stations has showcased the power of local television to reach communities with vital messages about the dangers of impaired driving," said DJ Perera, chief media officer at the Ad Council. "We're deeply grateful to every partner who makes Project Roadblock such an immense success." Since its inception in 2004, Project Roadblock has reached virtually every U.S. television household, with the 2024 Project Roadblock reaching 208 of 210 Designated Market Areas (DMAs) nationwide, covering 99.96% of all U.S. households. Last year's effort saw more than 65,900 detections of donated local broadcast TV airtime, generating an estimated $6.5 million in media value - a 9% year-over-year increase in detections and 68% in value. To date, participating stations have contributed more than $200 million in donated media value, driving over 8 billion total impressions since the initiative began. "Project Roadblock harnesses the power of local television to remind drivers to make smart choices about driving this holiday season. NHTSA appreciates all of our broadcast partners for helping us spread the word that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. We encourage everyone to celebrate responsibly and arrange for a safe, sober ride home from their festivities," NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison said. "Project Roadblock is a powerful example of how local broadcast television can make a real difference," said Steve Lanzano, President and CEO of TVB. "Each year, stations across the country use their trusted community connections and unparalleled reach to share this life-saving message that helps keep our roads and families safe during the holidays." The PSAs, available in both English and Spanglish, highlight the dangers of driving after drinking, and that "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving." Local TV stations can register and download campaign material through the Project Roadblock campaign page. Extreme Reach, a longtime partner of the initiative, will once again donate all PSA distribution and delivery services. For more information about Project Roadblock, visit TVB.org/ProjectRoadblock and follow the campaign online using the hashtag #ProjectRoadblock. About the Ad Council The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and accelerating change. For more than 80 years, the nonprofit 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, Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more. To learn more or get involved, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad Council's communities on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, and view campaign creative on YouTube. About TVB TVB is the not-for-profit trade association representing America's local broadcast television industry, including linear and digital platforms. Its members include the U.S. television stations, television broadcast groups, advertising sales reps, syndicators, international broadcasters and associate members. TVB actively promotes local media marketing solutions to the advertising community and works to develop advertising dollars for the medium's multiple platforms, including on-air, online and mobile. TVB provides a diverse variety of tools and resources, including its website, to support its members and to help advertisers make the best use of local ad dollars. About NHTSA For more than 50 years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been the primary federal agency responsible for safety on the nation's roadways. As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA works to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries by promoting the use of seat belts and child safety seats; helping states and local communities address the threat of distracted, drunk and drug-impaired drivers; regulating vehicle safety standards and investigating safety defects in motor vehicles; establishing and enforcing fuel economy standards; conducting research on driver behavior and traffic safety; and providing consumer information on issues ranging from child passenger safety to impaired driving. For more information visit www.nhtsa.gov.

Opportunity@Work and the Ad Council rally employers seeking a resilient, competitive workforce to "look beyond the Paper" New PSAs for skills-first hiring campaign highlight the competitive advantage of hiring STARs - workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes. NEW YORK, NY (November 5, 2025) - Building on the measurable success of the first "Tear the Paper Ceiling" launch in 2022, the Ad Council and Opportunity@Work today unveiled new public service advertisements (PSAs), titled "Story Unfold," encouraging employers to embrace skills-first hiring practices and access overlooked talent. Research from LinkedIn shows that hiring managers who start with skills are 60% more likely to find a successful hire. Yet, in the United States, more than 70 million STARs - workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes, such as apprenticeships, certifications, on-the-job training, and more - are too often disqualified for employment because they don't have a bachelor's degree. After decades of declining opportunity, the trajectory for STARs is starting to reverse on the heels of the launch of "Tear the Paper Ceiling" in 2022. "We launched the Tear the Paper Ceiling campaign to shine a light on the 50% of U.S. workers who are STARs and show that if you don't have a STARs talent strategy - you only have half a talent strategy," said Opportunity@Work CEO Byron Auguste. "This campaign and its corporate, philanthropic, and public sector partners are proving what's possible when awareness and behavior change together. Job postings are measurably more open to STARs than in the early 2000s. Skills-first hiring isn't a theory - it's starting to work where and when it is fully embraced. Smart employers are tapping into STARs' talent, and winning." The new PSAs encourage employers not to "throw away talent" by devaluing or disregarding the skills and abilities earned outside of a bachelor's degree. Viewers are directed to TearThePaperCeiling.org, where they can find tools and resources to take action. STARs can share their stories publicly and find career development resources, while employers will find playbooks and guides for getting started with skills-first hiring practices, along with case studies from organizations already hiring STARs. "When we introduced the idea of the 'paper ceiling' as that invisible barrier that separates companies from skilled workers who don't have a bachelor's degree, we changed the national conversation around hiring STARs," said Michelle Hillman, the Ad Council's Chief Development Officer. "With our fantastic partners, we're excited to continue the momentum by speaking directly to employers and inspiring them to hire skills-first and help their organizations find a competitive advantage." Created pro bono by world-renowned creative agency Ogilvy, and directed by filmmaker Loris Russier, a STAR himself, alongside production company PRETTYBIRD, the new PSAs speak directly to employers, urging them to look beyond the paper and discover how skills-first hiring can help them find the perfect hire. Using the metaphor of a crumpled paper that slowly unfurls to reveal a STAR's face, the "Story Unfold" PSAs encourage viewers to look holistically at their applicants, unfolding their story, to see their skills and experience that others might miss. STARs were involved in the production on both sides of the camera. "Being a self-taught filmmaker and editor, I know the stigma and misinformation many STARs like me face when trying to land a job," said director Loris Russier. "But I also know that my work and skills speak for themselves, and I'm excited to use those skills to bring this story to life and help STARs everywhere get the opportunities they deserve." "When hiring managers cling to outdated biases and rigid checklists, they filter out the raw talent their businesses truly need. Countless candidates are discarded on paper, yet brimming with real-world skills," said Hernan Ibanez, Head of Art, Ogilvy New York. "Our idea is a metaphorical, poetic response that addresses this problem from the very start. As it unfolds, it reveals a simple truth: the solution has been in front of them all along. They just need to open their eyes - and unfold it." The "paper ceiling" was coined by the Ad Council, Opportunity@Work, and Ogilvy to describe the invisible barrier that comes at every turn for workers without a bachelor's degree. "Tear the Paper Ceiling" quickly became a rallying cry within the American workforce, media and culture since it debuted three years ago. The term "paper ceiling" has since been widely adopted throughout industries, being referenced by political leaders on both sides of the aisle and in leading business publications (including Bloomberg, Fortune, the Harvard Business Review, and The New York Times). So far, 31 states have pledged to remove degree requirements for state employment, and the skills-first hiring movement has inspired over 1 million commitments to open jobs to STARs, hundreds of thousands of which have already been made real. The campaign has grown to be supported by a coalition of 85 national private sector and nonprofit organizations - and companies in the coalition are creating meaningfully greater opportunities for STARs. Since the launch of the campaign, over 76,000 STARs within public and private sector organizations that partner with Opportunity@Work have experienced upward mobility, resulting in a $17,000 median wage gain. To date, "Tear the Paper Ceiling" PSAs have received over $120 million in donated media and have driven nearly six million visits to the campaign website. This year's campaign will be supported by Spark Foundry, the media agency of record, and in media by Indeed, Kargo, LinkedIn, and Walmart, among others. PSAs will appear in donated media nationwide in TV, radio, digital, out of home, print and social-optimized video formats. For more information, visit TearThePaperCeiling.org. About the Ad Council The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and accelerating change. For more than 80 years, the nonprofit 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, Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more. To learn more or get involved, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad Council's communities on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, and view campaign creative on YouTube. About Opportunity@Work Opportunity@Work is a 501(c)3 nonprofit social enterprise on a mission to rewire the labor market so all Americans can work, learn, and earn to their full potential. Its work advances economic opportunities for the more than 70 million U.S. workers who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) instead of through a bachelor's degree. Opportunity@Work engages with corporate, public sector, and philanthropic partners through landmark research and labor market data analysis, public awareness and narrative change, STARs-centric software tools, and multi-sector networks. The Tear the Paper Ceiling campaign, in partnership with the Ad Council and a growing coalition of more than 80 business and nonprofit leaders, raises awareness of STARs and the paper ceiling, and motivates organizations to adopt skills-first hiring practices. Learn more at www.opportunityatwork.org. About Ogilvy Ogilvy has been creating impact for brands through iconic, culture-changing, value-driving ideas since the company was founded by David Ogilvy 75 years ago. It builds on that rich legacy through Borderless Creativity - innovating at the intersections of its advertising, public relations, relationship design, consulting, and health capabilities with experts collaborating seamlessly across more than 120 offices spanning 90 countries. Ogilvy currently ranks as the #1 global agency network for creative excellence and effectiveness by WARC, signifying its ability to deliver creative solutions that drive unreasonable impact for clients and communities. Ogilvy is a WPP company (NYSE: WPP). For more information, visit Ogilvy.com, and follow Ad Council on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook.