NEW YORK, NY, October 13, 2021 — The Ad Council announced today that its 67th Annual Public Service Award Dinner will honor Verizon Chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg. The event will be both in-person and streamed online, with the in-person gathering held at the Glasshouse in New York City on December 2, 2021. Platinum sponsors include Adobe, Comcast NBCUniversal, Disney Ad Sales, Facebook, Google and Verizon.
Bringing together leaders at the intersection of media, marketing, advertising and technology, the Annual Public Service Award Dinner is the organization’s largest fundraising event, with the last Annual Dinner in 2019 raising more than $5.8 million to support the Ad Council’s national social impact programs. This year’s event will be co-chaired by Linda Yaccarino, Ad Council Chair and Chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships at NBCUniversal, and Ad Council Vice Chair Diego Scotti, Chief Marketing Officer of Verizon.
Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO of Verizon, will receive the Public Service Award for his outstanding corporate citizenship. Vestberg helped author the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals as a member of the Leadership Council of the UN’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network. As a founding member of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Broadband Commission for Digital Development, he has also led climate change and digital health initiatives.
"It’s an honor to receive this award and to be in the company of so many organizations that the Ad Council has convened to make a difference in the country, addressing COVID-19 vaccine education and many other important causes. We look forward to continuing our impactful work together, bringing passion and creativity to create a powerful rally-cry across the industry,” said Vestberg.
In the past year, Vestberg has played a critical role in the Ad Council’s COVID-19 Vaccination Education Initiative. He and his team at Verizon were crucial in securing corporate funders to support the campaign, the largest public education campaign in U.S. history. Additionally, Vestberg serves as a board member of BlackRock, the UN Foundation and the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative.
“We are honored to recognize Hans Vestberg for his incredible leadership, legacy of social good and pivotal role in helping to turn the tide of the pandemic. The challenges of these past two years makes this year’s Dinner a truly special moment to celebrate the remarkable generosity and contributions of our industry.” said Lisa Sherman, President and CEO of the Ad Council.
The Ad Council is committed to ensuring that this year’s in-person event complies with the latest safety guidelines at the time of the event. Proof of full vaccination of all guests will be required. To learn more about the event and to purchase tables or tickets, please visit the event’s website.
THE AD COUNCIL
The Ad Council has a long history of creating life-saving public service communications in times of national crisis, starting in the organization's earliest days during World War II to September 11th and natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy and, most recently, leading the industry’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its deep relationships with media outlets, the creative community, issue experts and government leaders make the organization uniquely poised to quickly distribute life-saving impactful information to millions of Americans.