United Way launches Valentine's teen pregnancy prevention campaign

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- United Way of Greater Milwaukee, in collaboration with Serve Marketing, is launching a provocative new teen pregnancy prevention campaign just in time for Valentine’s Day.

The “Baby, You’re the One” campaign uses bus shelter ads, radio and a creative Valentine’s Day tactic to illustrate the many ways some boys seduce and mislead their girlfriends.

“Teenage girls often live with the illusion that if they get pregnant, their boyfriend will stay with them and they will all be a happy family. We know that’s not reality. Being a teen parent is hard and scary and all too often the young girl is left alone to deal with not only the pregnancy and birth of the child but the expense and stress of caring for that child," Nicole Angresano, Vice President of Community Impact for United Way of Greater Milwaukee said.

The ads will appear in bus shelters and on the radio beginning Valentine’s Day week. The most visible part of the campaign occurred on Valentine’s Day when hundreds of Valentines were hand-delivered to Milwaukee youth at bus stops near several high schools.

The campaign is the latest tactic in the United Way-led Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative.

“We all remember what it’s like to be that young and think you’re in love – that everything will be okay and you’ll be with this person no matter what. The Valentine's Day card tactic is intended to make teens think twice before putting themselves in a position to get pregnant," Serve founder and volunteer creative director, Gary Mueller said.

Milwaukee’s teen birth rate is currently at a historically low level. City of Milwaukee health officials say the current trend indicates that Milwaukee should be on track to reduce the teen birth rate by 46% by 2015, a goal which was set by United Way of Greater Milwaukee, the Center for Urban Population Health and the Milwaukee Health Department in 2008. 

Valentine’s Day cards were handed out before and after school at bus stops near Pulaski, South Division, Riverside, North Division, Townsend, and Rufus King High Schools on Thursday, February 14th.

CLICK HERE for more on teen pregnancy prevention via United Way's website.