Details On Roman Reigns And Other WWE Stars In New PSAs, Vince McMahon Comments

WWE issued the following today:

WWE Superstars Alberto Del Rio, Titus O'Neil and Roman Reigns Take on the Importance of Being a Dad in National Public Service Campaign

June 6, 2014

Washington, DC, June 6, 2014 ? A majority of dads in the U.S., seven out of ten, recently reported that they could use tips on how to be a better parent, according to a national survey conducted by the Ad Council. In advance of Father's Day, WWE Superstars are inspiring dads throughout the country to get more involved in their children's lives. WWE is joining the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families' Office of Family Assistance, the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse, and the Ad Council to launch a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) that encourage dads to recognize their critical role and give them the tools to help get more involved.

This month, the Ad Council will distribute the television, radio, print, outdoor and Web public service ads to media outlets nationwide. In addition, the Ad Council will make all PSA materials available through PSACentral.org. WWE will utilize all of its assets, including television, live events, in-arena, digital and social media, to generate awareness of the national public service campaign.

WWE donated their time, talent and resources for the campaign which uses humor and features WWE Superstars Alberto Del Rio, Titus O'Neil and Roman Reigns experiencing poignant moments with their actual children in an effort to inspire a nationwide commitment to fatherhood. The stars provide the voiceovers at the end, directing audiences to "Take Time To Be a Dad Today." The campaign communicates to fathers that their presence is essential to their children's well-being and emphasizes that "the smallest moments can have the biggest impact on a child's life." The new PSAs can be seen here.

"WWE is honored to be a part of the Ad Council Fatherhood campaign and the mission to inspire and support men in their commitment to responsible fatherhood," said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman & CEO. "Even the busiest of dads can do the simplest of things to have a positive impact on their children."

All of the creative assets direct fathers to visit www.fatherhood.gov or to call 1-877-4DAD411 to provide them with the information they need to become more involved with their children's lives, including parenting tips, fatherhood programs and additional resources. In addition to the English and Spanish-language advertising, the campaign also includes social and digital extensions, leveraging fans of WWE and its Superstars. To coincide with Father's Day and the campaign launch, @WWEMoms is hosting a Twitter Q&A on June 12 at 7:00 p.m. via #WWEDads. The campaign will also be leveraging Thunderclap (a public synchronized social media post), and developing blog posts and additional activities.

"The importance of being a present and engaged dad lies in the long term effects and benefits that this responsibility has on the children and families we serve. Fatherhood must be respected as essential to the wellbeing of our communities and as an investment in the creation of a caring, healthier and more productive society as a whole. Fatherhood is both a privilege and an honor, and the greatest reward is when your child calls you dad," said Office of Family Assistance Director Earl Johnson.

Children with involved, loving fathers are significantly more likely to do well in school, have healthy self-esteem, exhibit empathy and pro-social behavior, and avoid high-risk behaviors such as drug use, truancy, and criminal activity compared to children who have uninvolved fathers.

"Of course, with our target being dads, WWE was a natural partner for this effort," said Peggy Conlon, President and CEO of the Ad Council. "This campaign has already made such an impact on fathers and families throughout the country and I know that with the help of Alberto, Titus and Roman, we will be able to show dads how important their role is in their child's life."

The new PSAs are an extension of the Ad Council's award-winning Fatherhood Involvement campaign, which launched in 2008. The ads will air and run in time and space entirely donated by the media. To date, the Fatherhood Involvement campaign has received more than $193 million in donated media.