Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1996

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Communication

Major Professor

Ronald Taylor

Committee Members

Eric Haley, Herbert Howard, Faye Julianne, Roxanne Hoveland Marsh

Abstract

The Advertising Council has been a part of American culture since 1942. The advertising industry started the Ad Council to boost its flagging reputation. During World War II, the Council was called into the conflict and charged with rallying citizens to win the War. In helping to win the war of words, it gained some acclaim for advertising. After the War, the Ad Council was called on to conduct a variety of peacetime campaigns. Some campaigns were on behalf of government, others for society as a whole. Among those campaigns, one stands somewhat apart from the others. That campaign was the Religion in American Life (RIAL) campaign. It was one of the longest running of all Ad Council campaigns and also one of the smallest.

This research provides an historical analysis of the RIAL organization and the advertising campaign conducted for it by the Ad Council. RIAL was primarily concerned with helping houses of worship in their membership and fund- raising drives. In order to accomplish this, the organization did not rely solely on the advertising campaign. Besides the campaign a comprehensive range of activities were encouraged at the local level. These activities added to the effectiveness of the ad campaign.

Four distinct thematic phases, during its 43-year-long association with the Ad Council, are identified. These phases coincided with major trends in the history of the country. Funding for the campaign was a long-standing problem and contributed to the Ad Council distancing itself from RIAL in 1992.

The meanings that this campaign had for RIAL, the Ad Council, and for society as a whole, are discussed. At times the ads were credited with producing astounding results, suggesting a powerful communication effects model. However, poll data and other information suggest that the reasons for the reported successes lie elsewhere and that the overall campaign had little impact in changing public attitudes. Consequently, this research argues for a limited effects model for mass media advertising.

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