New series of ads to shock youth

A new series of ads designed to shock teenagers about the consequences of teen pregnancy will soon begin showing up in magazines and other publications around Nevada.

Sarah Brown of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy said the ads are "designed to break through the media clutter in teens' lives and reach them on an emotional level."

Each of the ads features the picture of a teen with a single word designed to grab attention such as "CHEAP" or "DIRTY." A statement relating to the word runs vertically alongside the ad.

The messages are:

- Condoms are CHEAP. If we'd used one, I wouldn't have to tell my parents I'm pregnant.

- I want to be out with my friends. Instead, I'm changing DIRTY diapers at home.

- Now that I'm home with a baby, NOBODY calls me anymore.

- I had sex so my boyfriend wouldn't REJECT me. Now I have a baby. And no boyfriends.

- My scholarship is USELESS. Now I need a job to support my baby.

Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa said the ads shocked her when she first saw them, but she supports them.

"That is the whole point: to shock the viewer into a conversation with others about the issue and the related consequences of teen pregnancy," she said.

The Ad Council will distribute the public service announcements to more than 8,000 magazines and newspapers nationwide and postcards of the ads will be available at Tower Records beginning in November. Teen People, Men's Health for Teens and other publications have also agreed to run the ads.