Don’t Be An Asterisk

Face it, an asterisk next to a word is usually a bad thing. Fines, penalities, extra charges. That’s why Brighthouse had advertised their Asterisk Hunters ad campaign so heavily, to show their customers that there are no hidden charges. (And it’s true – I am a customer!)

Another campaign has been launched to eliminate asterisks, this time in the sports world, is the public awareness campaign launched by The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Ad Council focusing on teen steroid use. The campaign, Don’t Be an Asterisk, is being funded by U.S. Olympic Team sponsor Johnson & Johnson, and it marks the first time the USOC and the Ad Council have joined forces to raise awareness about the national issue of illegal performance-enhancing drugs both within and outside of sport.

I am sure many people have heard about Asterisk Rodriguez, aka A-Rod or Alex Rodriguez. He says he’s been clean since he’s been traded to the Yankees in 2004, but prior to that he did admit he used steroids … so now that asterisk hangs over his head.

“We know athletes and individuals who choose to engage in the destructive behavior of illegal steroid use live in fear of being found out,” said USOC Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr. “This initiative is geared to show teens and other age groups that illegal steroid use can only lead to a harmful and embarrassing end. Additionally, teens need to fully understand the dangerous health risks associated with steroids and other performance-enhancing substances.”

“Being caught with steroids comes with absolute penalties. You’re off the team. Your scholarship is gone. Your hopes of going pro are possibly out the window,” Gary Scheiner, Executive Creative Director, TBWA\Chiat\Day. “Our creative solution was to make teens understand that of all the outcomes of steroid use, fakeness is also considerably damaging. To illustrate this, we took a well-known icon already used in the world of sport, and turned it into our scarlet letter. The Asterisk.”

Here is a video that helps gets the point across:

You and your children can visit www.DontBeAnAsterisk.com to learn more about steroids, hear from professional athletes and find healthy alternatives to excel in athletics. You can also be a fan of playing clean, join the Don’t Be an Asterisk Facebook Fanpage.

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