Ad Council to launch gay-specific anti-bullying campaign

"Help take a bite out of crime."

"A mind is a terrible thing to waste."

"Only you can prevent forest fires."

These widely-known catchphrases all have something in common: they originated in PSA campaigns facilitated by the Ad Council, a group that pairs nonprofit organizations with important messages with ad companies and media outlets in an effort to get that message in front of people across the country.

For the first time ever, the Ad Council has selected a gay community issue as its project. Aimed at combating anti-gay language and bullying in schools, the campaign will challenge teenagers to readdress their use of words like "gay" (as in, "that's so gay"). The Council has teamed up with GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) to get the message out.

This is of course great news, as it both further legitimizes concerns over use of bullying and casually anti-gay speech and sends a message that discussions of gay people and gay life with young folks are indeed appropriate.

So now we just have to see what the groups (in conjunction with ad agency Geppetto Group) come up with for the campaign. Will it be as lasting and iconic as Smokey the Bear or McGruff the Crime Dog? And will it feature actual gay characters? Now that I think of it, Smokey and McGruff would make a cute couple...

Any ideas for an anti-bullying catchphrase? How about ...