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SALT LAKE COUNTY -- One of the most recognizable icons in America celebrates a birthday this week. Smokey Bear was created in 1944, but the campaign really took off in the 1950s. It was an ad campaign that proved very successful in decreasing forest fires and making Smokey Bear a beloved figure to children of several generations.
Lance Turner likes to sketch and draw. He spends time doing it every day. But in the 1950s, as an art director of storied ad agency Foote, Cone and Belding, he got an assignment to market Smokey Bear.
"Not only did we have billboards and posters in the forests, we also enlisted the schools and put posters and promotional materials in the schools," he said.
Smokey Bear still remains a recognizable figure to people of all ages.
"Smokey took on a personality, and they haven't changed him too much, which is very wise," Turner explained. "You start these slow evolutions and pretty soon Smokey Bear is out the back door as Smokey Bear."
While some of the emotional images of the 50's are gone, Smokey's message and image remains nearly the same: "Only you can prevent wildfires."
E-mail: spenrod@ksl.com
