Website for Beloved U.S. Wildfire Prevention Icon, Smokey Bear, Gets Redesign from St. John & Partners in Time for His 72nd Birthday

Jacksonville-Based Agency Applies Modernized, Accessible Approach to Redesigned Site

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – (August 9, 2016) – The U.S. Forest Service and National Association of State Foresters have announced the launch of a newly redesigned website featuring Smokey Bear in conjunction with the public service icon’s 72nd birthday celebration. Designed by Jacksonville-based advertising and public relations agency, St. John & Partners (SJ&P), and in coordination with Ad Council, SmokeyBear.com is now better suited to meet the digital demands of contemporary audiences with an image- and content-rich environment.

“The opportunity for St. John & Partners to be a part of something that has touched the lives of Americans of all ages, beginning at childhood and remembered and shared as adults, has been exciting,” said Shane Santiago, vice president and digital director of St. John & Partners. “Smokey Bear represents Americana in its most iconic form. His likeness is recognizable, but his message of wildfire prevention is what stands the test of time. It was important for us to revive Smokey Bear’s image as an information source and present that information in a more approachable format for modern and new target audiences.”

Created in 1944, Smokey Bear’s message on wildfire prevention has served as the longest running public service campaign in the nation’s history. While the most recent web interface for SmokeyBear.com has seen updates and expansions, this is the first holistic redevelopment in eight years. SJ&P was selected for this project based on their displayed understanding of the audience personas and how they obtain information through research and discovery, design of sharable content and application of fluidity to the user experience.

The redesigned site places heavy emphasis on educational content and vibrant imagery granting the user an investment in protecting U.S. wildlands. From an educational standpoint, the new site features resources that affirm facts on wildfire prevention and safety as well as the benefits of prescribed fires by professionals. Focusing on a wide-ranging audience of kids, parents, educators and outdoor enthusiasts, content is depicted through infographics and images simple enough for youth to comprehend, yet advanced enough to interest adults. Every page and piece of information on the new site is easy to share, boosting the message and has a mobile-first strategic focus, eliminating any barriers to the user experience regardless of technology platform.

“Through the design of the SmokeyBear.com site, we wanted to pay homage to the longevity and success of the brand and message while conveying the content in an approachable and accessible way. The new site accomplishes this and will provide the empowerment of knowledge for new audiences,” Santiago added. “We are truly grateful to our long-running partnership with Ad Council for the opportunity to educate and enlighten the next generation of users.”

“The redesigned and responsive Smokey Bear website meets target audiences where they are—and today, these citizens are getting their information primarily through mobile devices. A better online experience enhances the forestry community’s work to reduce the number of human-caused wildfires in the United States,” said Tom Boggus, Texas State Forester and chair of the Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention Campaign.

About St. John & Partners
St. John & Partners is one of the largest independent agencies headquartered in Florida with offices in Jacksonville, Tallahassee and Greenville, SC. As a full-service, award-winning agency, St. John & Partners’ client list includes Ad Council, American Health Care Association, Daytona International Speedway, E3 Spark Plugs, Florida Department of Citrus, Florida Lottery, Florida Prepaid, JEA, Marriott, Southeastern Grocers (BI-LO, Harveys and Winn-Dixie) and Zaxby’s. St. John & Partners is a member of the MAGNET Global Network comprised of 50 independent advertising agencies in North and South America, Europe, Asia and the Pacific Rim. For more information on St. John & Partners, visit sjp.com

Primary Contact:
Lyndsay Rossman
St. John & Partners
(904) 596-8573 (office)
(202) 494-1688 (cell)
[email protected]