Smokey Bear has been around for more than 80 years. The icon is synonymous with U.S. National Parks, the U.S. Forest Service, and getting outdoors.
The campaign still uses the cartoon bear today to remind people to think twice about campfires and their impact in the wilderness. The difference is that the ads have moved online, and Smokey has decades of promotional material to share.
The organization’s Twitter account recently shared one poster that turned 70 years old this year.
Here’s a look at some other well-known campaign posters from 1953:
Smokey is part of the U.S. Forest Service, and the bear’s wildfire campaign is the longest-running public service announcement in U.S. history. The campaign started in 1941, but the cartoon bear wasn’t used until 1944. Since then, Smokey Bear has appeared on posters, stamps, billboards, and TV commercials. With no plans to remove the bear anytime soon, it’s safe to say Smokey will be around for generations to come.
While Smokey Bear is a household name, check out these other outdoor mascots that are a little less known, from Woodsy Owl to Carl S. Bat: click the link to see which mascots you know.
