U.S. Ethanol Industry to Launch First-Ever National TV Ad Campaign

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Launch Event: video, audio and photos

WASHINGTON, DC — America’s ethanol supporters launched the industry’s first national TV ad campaign today to promote the only renewable, domestic fuel that is an alternative to imported oil, which makes up nearly 60 percent of the nation’s fuel supply.

“Ethanol is America’s fuel: it’s made here in the U.S., it creates U.S. jobs, and it contributes to America’s national and economic security. This ad campaign is designed to reach beyond the Beltway to communicate those facts about ethanol to the broader American public – people who until now have only heard one side of the story,” said (Ret.) Gen. Wesley K. Clark, Co-Chairman of Growth Energy, the coalition of U.S. ethanol supporters that is airing the “America’s Fuel” campaign.

The six-month, $2.5 million campaign will air six separate spots on four cable networks: Fox, MSNBC, CNN and HLN (formerly Headline News). More than half of the spots are in primetime, with the rest airing on shows – such as Larry King Live, Morning Joe, and Fox and Friends – that attract influential viewers, including political officeholders and the press.

The spots began airing at 6 a.m. today on all four networks. Each of the six spots focuses on a particular message about ethanol: Independent, Clean, Renewable, Peace, Sensible and Economic.

“This campaign demonstrates the leadership of Growth Energy’s members, and shows a certain maturity in the ethanol industry. With this campaign we are talking directly to the public, in their living rooms, with a message that makes quite clear precisely why ethanol is America’s fuel,” said former Rep. Jim Nussle, of Iowa, a member of the Growth Energy Board of Directors.

The spots are also available for viewing and download on Growth Energy’s website at GrowthEnergy.org/ads.

“For too long, we have allowed our opponents to define who we are. That ends today,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. “We cannot match the other side dollar for dollar, but that is not going to prevent us from being in the fight. Ethanol is America’s fuel. Ethanol creates jobs, cleans the air and strengthens our national and economic security. These ads tell that story.”

This is the first ever national TV ad campaign by the ethanol industry. Ethanol is America’s fuel, and Growth Energy’s mission is to communicate that fact to audiences that are either unfamiliar with ethanol, or have only heard Big Oil’s side of the story.

Paid TV advertising is the most effective way to reach these audiences, particularly on the East and West coasts, and counter the messages in oil’s multi-million dollar ad campaigns.

• Growth Energy’s $2.5 million campaign will run on four national cable TV news networks: Fox News, CNN, HLN (formerly Headline News) and MSNBC. The ads will run over a six month period at the same time Congress is in session.
• More than half of the spot weight is in prime time, with non-prime time spots placed on high-profile shows with major audience draw, including Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” and MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
• Growth Energy is primarily running 3 x :30 second spots, which consist of combinations of :15 second spots aired back-to-back. Each spot has a message highlighting ethanol’s positive attributes: Peace, Sensible, Independent, Economic, Clean and Renewable.
• As President Obama outlined in his March 31 speech at Andrews AFB, the Congress and Administration must embrace policies that encourage “homegrown” fuels – like ethanol. These ads are starting to air just as Washington, DC is renewing its conversation on energy policy.
• The spot placements are designed to give us maximum exposure to “decision-makers” – people who are engaged in their lives and in the world, and are plugged into news and what’s happening in DC. And cable is the country’s water cooler; it drives stories and gets people talking.
• Weekly weight of the campaign on these news networks is comparable to what is going on the air from other major advertisers, including ExxonMobil, Cargill and Valero.

About Growth Energy

Growth Energy is a group committed to the promise of agriculture and growing America’s economy through cleaner, greener energy. Growth Energy members recognize America needs a new ethanol approach. Through smart policy reform and a proactive grassroots campaign, Growth Energy promotes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the use of ethanol in gasoline, decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, and creating American jobs at home. More information can be found at GrowthEnergy.org.