Agency Takes on Gangs in Ad Campaign : Media: Frankel & Anderson is using radio and TV in an effort to address urban problems. It is the agency where Karen Toshima, who was killed by a gang member in Westwood, worked.

It is a chilling anniversary. Two years ago this month, Karen Toshima, a 27-year-old advertising agency art director, was shot in the head and killed in random gang violence in Westwood.

Since that time, gang violence has only grown worse. And so has the sense of helplessness of many Los Angeles area residents. But the Van Nuys ad agency where Toshima worked has decided to take action--not just for her, but for all victims of gang violence.

“The role of advertising is to motivate people,” said Rob Frankel, president of Frankel & Anderson. “If we can sell soap flakes, I’m convinced we can also sell social good.”

With that in mind, Frankel & Anderson has created a series of print ads that urges Southern Californians to make a stand against gangs and graffiti. And it has enlisted two of the city’s media powers--KABC-Talkradio and KABC-TV--to help create and air public service announcements that address urban problems.

The ad campaign has been named “Turn the Tide.”

Beginning this month, print and broadcast advertisements will try to persuade Los Angeles residents to dial a 900 telephone number--1-900-USA-TURN--to help stop gang violence. When people dial that number, they will automatically be donating $2 to one of several local, anti-gang educational groups. Those who call will also be given further information on how they can help fight gangs.

The four-person ad shop isn’t trying to tackle the gang problem alone. Nearly a year ago, it enlisted the help of KABC Talkradio, which is spearheading the effort. In fact, the station will air on Thursday a special four-hour show on gangs featuring radio talk show host Michael Jackson.

“This is something we probably should have done years ago,” said Nelkane Benton, director of community relations at the station. “We look at this as just a beginning, not an end.” Other corporate sponsors of the campaign are the Vons grocery chain, which will promote the campaign in its stores and in advertisements, and Main Street Dairies, which will run “Turn the Tide” ads on its milk cartons.

The agency’s first print ad--which appears in today’s Times--is an entire page filled with what looks like spray-painted graffiti. The headline to that ad says, “The next thing they spray is bullets.”

One print ad the agency created--but eventually decided to drop--may be the most provocative of all. The ad features a large swastika above the headline, “It started out as gang graffiti too.”

“Needless to say, the ad would have caused a sensation,” said Frankel. “The feeling was that the ad brought up too many racist images.”

The money raised from the ad campaign will mostly go to six local grass-roots organizations dedicated to reducing gang violence. Among the largest of those groups is Community Youth Gang Services. That nonprofit group is seeking nearly $1 million to fund its program of sending specialists to inner-city schools to talk about gangs with children ages 10 to 12.

“The object is to cut off membership at the grass-roots level,” said Schuyler Sprowles, public affairs consultant with the group. “It’s no panacea. But it’s better than anything else that’s available.”