By Puyallup Tribal News Staff
The Tribe’s widely-aired “Take a Break, Take a Breath and Reconnect” TV campaign to help people facing gambling addiction has earned it recognition across the nation.
The National Council on Problem Gambling named the Tribe a finalist for the Corporate Public Awareness award in early July. Winners were announced July 18, with the Oregon Lottery taking the top spot in the category for its “Safer Play” campaign. The Tribe’s partner in the campaign, Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling, which managed a digital campaign to complement the TV spots, took home two awards on its own: Affiliate Multicultural Communications and Affiliate Awareness Campaign Impact.
The public service campaign launched in late 2023 with three TV commercials that featured Chairman Bill Sterud expressing the Tribe’s values of family and community, and encouraging viewers to “Take a break, take a breath and reconnect” whenever gambling becomes a problem. The ads referred viewers to Evergreen, which reported a significant increase in calls to its helpline during the months the spots aired. Mnemonic – Comcast Advertising produced the commercials under the Tribe’s direction.
“We believe in the message about connection and healthy choices,” Chairman Sterud said. “I’m glad the ads have shown people how to get help when they need it.”
The ads aired throughout Western Washington, much of the time during football games, including the Super Bowl in 2024.
Since the initial launch, Tribal Council authorized the campaign to air several more times. The next campaign is due to start in August and last for several months. The public service announcements featuring Chairman Sterud and resources can be viewed at PauseBreatheReconnect.com.
