George Washington, the first President of the United States of America, was born on February 22, 1732.
For the 1954 Crusade for Freedom fund-raising campaign in behalf of Radio Free Europe, the Advertising Council developed three themes:
• "Help end World War III before it starts"
• "Send truth through the Iron Curtain"
• "Let George do it" (referring to the face of George Washington on the one-dollar bill).
Below we will look at the third theme that was used to rally Americans to action in the Cold War: "Let George do it."
The goal of the massive 1954 campaign was to raise ten million dollars to "beam through the Iron Curtain." The Ad Council mailed a campaign guide to 20,000 advertisers, agencies and media executives. Newspaper ads were sent to "daily, weekly, farm, labor, foreign language, religious and Negro papers." 85,000 two-color ads were to be posted on busses, trolley and commuting railroads. 15,000 post office trucks were to carry Crusade for Freedom posters.
The "kit" sent to television stations included films that featured prominent television and stage stars. There were 26 million homes with televisions in the United States. The estimated number of “home impressions” from network spots of the Crusade for Freedom was 3 billion, In addition, there were 18,500 spot announcements on local television stations. Radio kits were sent to 2,700 local radio stations that resulted in an estimated 700,000 announcements.
The Outdoor Advertising Incorporated supported arranged for 8,000 large24-sheet billboard posters which were to "generate more than 1 1/2 billion advertising impressions." This outdoor advertising was to be "one of the greatest public service contributions in history."
One of 1954 newspaper and magazine advertising themes was "Let George Do It“ -- a play on the American slang "Let Someone Else Do it." The text of one advertisement was:
The best way $1 from you can help end World War III before it starts.
Take a look at one of the dollars in your pocket. Believe it or not, that dollar might buy you the thing you want most in all the world-peace.
That single dollar can help send Truth through the Iron Curtain-Truth to 70 million restless, freedom-loving captives of Communism who can do more than anyone else to stop Soviet Aggression dead in its tracks!
Radio Free Europe (an independent American enterprise supported by private citizens like yourself) is getting the Truth through to them now ... Truth to counteract Soviet lies about you ... Truth about their own countries and their Soviet masters.
RFE is sending Truth day and night, from 21 powerful radio transmitters.
Your dollar can help do even more.- It can send at least 100 words of Truth and hope where they are needed most. It can help build new transmitters, send more programs. It can help stop World War III before it starts.
Another Ad read:
Let George Do It
No, you wouldn't as a rule.
But here’s one time you can — andhelp stopWorld WarIII before it starts.
You can do it with your dollar, which carries the portrait of "the man who couldn't tell a lie."
Through Radio Free Europe your George Washington dollar can carry the TRUTH to 70 million Communist-controlled people behind the Iron Curtain— if you'll let it.
Give a "Truth-Dollar“ for Radio Free Europe — the free world's most effective promoter of hope and courage behind the Iron Curtain today.Send your dollar to Crusade for Freedom, c/o your local Postmaster.
It will buy 100 words of TRUTH on Radio Free Europe for those captive millions who are our first line of defense against Soviet aggression. Your dollar will squelch a Red Lie
"Let George Do It“— today!
