I wanted to know more about these ads, about the foundation. It is a not-for-profit organization, the commercial tells you as much. So I started with their website and learned some interesting things. They state at the website (b/c they say it best):
The mission of The Foundation for a Better Life, through various media efforts, is to encourage adherence to a set of quality values through personal accountability and by raising the level of expectations of performance of all individuals. Through these efforts, the Foundation wants to remind individuals they are accountable and empowered with the ability to take responsibility for their lives and to promote a set of values that sees them through their failures and capitalizes on their successes. An individual who takes responsibility for his or her actions will take care of his or her family, job, community, and country.
The company does not accept any donations. In fact they are funded by a "family that prefers to remain anonymous."
This answer wasn't acceptable. So I did some more research. It seems that the foundation is funded by Phillip Anschutz. You may know him better as the 31st richest person in the US. He owns, among other things: portions of Qwest, Regal entertainment (theatres), oil companies, railway companies (Union Pacific), Clarity Media (includes Washington Examiner and other newspapers), and portions of LOTS of sports teams (Lakers, Galaxy, Manchester Monarchs, and stadiums). This man funded the Chronicles of Narnia movies. In 1999 he was ranked as the greediest man in the US (maybe b/c he made a lot of $$ and supports Bush). But he has been quite philanthropic. They said he was like the robber-barons of old (Rockefeller) b/c of his diversification.
That being said, I love the Foundation's work. It is inspiring, regardless of religion, nationality, etc. Plus they are clever. Here is a tasting of the posters (Kermit is my favorite):
But there are videos too:
and my favorite(Click here) - it chokes me up...
They remind me of the old Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' commercials. Not that this one is one of those. But I thought it a fantastic parody to those and another famous commercial line. It also reminds me a lot of my mission in Germany. Oh the stories I could tell...(and I don't encourage cutting up any books)
Here's to being a better person!
HRP
2 comments:
I actually really really like this post a lot. Thanks for sharing.
More postings, more postings! What like you are busy raising a family, working and going to school?
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