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ICFA Media Campaign
Updated April 2003
Since April 2000, the ICFA has waged a successful campaign to educate consumers about the value of cemetery and funeral services. Using a national media placement agency, the ICFA has targeted hundreds of newspapers and radio stations in markets across the United States with its preneed and memorialization messages. Placements to date have included:
The articles and announcements have run primarily in suburban and urban areas, including major markets such as New York, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Seattle, Nashville, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. The ICFA plans to continue its public information campaign with one newspaper article and one radio broadcast to be released in the near future.
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
Handling Grief at the Holidays (Released October 2002)
"Happy holidays!" People may hear those two words often in the coming weeks. But for those who have suffered the loss of a loved one, the joy of the season may be buried in feelings of grief and loneliness.
To cope with a loss, experts at the International Cemetery and Funeral Association recommend several approaches:
Pare down your "to do" list. Take care of yourself at this busy, stressful time. This may mean taking a break from the normal bustle of the season. Recognize that a slower pace may be better for your mental and emotional well-being.
The absence of your loved one may become especially evident and painful as you participate in activities such as decorating your home or gathering for family photos. Consider adding new traditions that commemorate your loved one. For example, visit the gravesite, or light a candle and ask family members to share stories or a moment of silence in his or her memory.
Seek help. Rely on family and friends for support. Many cemeteries and funeral homes offer bereavement resources and can refer you to support groups.
The holidays can be a stressful time. For those who have suffered a loss, it is important to set realistic expectations and find meaningful ways to remember the deceased. For more information on coping with grief, visit the "Consumer Resources" section at www.icfa.org.
The Changing Face of Funerals (Released March 2002)
Beside the casket stood a bouquet of yellow flowers, a red and white memorial wreath -- and a shiny black motorcycle. The funeral was for an avid biker, and his wife felt it only appropriate to have his "weekend companion" at his side.
Funeral and cemetery services -- long-steeped in tradition -- have become increasingly personalized.
"Families today see this as an opportunity to honor and celebrate a life that has been lived," said Greg Easley, president of the International Cemetery and Funeral Association. "They want the personality of the deceased to come through as part of the service."
Among the ways funeral homes and cemeteries make services more personal:
- Memory displays -- Many funeral homes will set up tables with photos, videos and other memorabilia to tell the story of a person's life. Displays can be arranged around themes, such as golfing or gardening.
- Caskets and urns -- Many caskets now feature designs depicting hobbies, nature scenes and other themes. Some cremation urns can be personalized as well.
- Monuments and markers -- Today's monuments and markers include more than just names and dates. Families can add elements such as artwork and photographs to their permanent memorials.
More information on funeral and cemetery arrangements can be found in the "Consumer Resources" guide at www.icfa.org.
Making Funeral Arrangements in Advance Offers Peace of Mind (Released December 2001)
Most Americans agree that pre-arranging funeral and cemetery services makes sense. According to a recent survey by Wirthlin Worldwide, 84 percent say they think it's a good idea. However, only about 26 percent have actually made their arrangements.
The reason is simple.
"Many people don't want to face the issue of their own mortality," said Greg Easley, president of the International Cemetery and Funeral Association (ICFA). "Yet it's the one thing we truly know is certain."
Arrangements can be made in advance for almost every aspect of funeral and cemetery services, from designating the type of funeral or memorial service desired, to selecting a gravesite, to purchasing a casket and a monument or marker.
Pre-arranging can allow people to lock in current prices and ensure they get the types of funeral and burial services they want. What's more, it relieves their family and friends of the burden of making some difficult decisions at an emotional time.
"Survivors who have to plan these services after a death will ask, 'What would Dad have wanted?'" Easley said. "This way, they know they're getting exactly what he wanted."
For more information on funeral and cemetery services and pre-arrangement, visit the "Consumer Resource" section of the ICFA Web site at www.icfa.org.
More to Cremation Than Meets the Eye (Released December 2000)
Studies show that cremation is becoming an accepted practice for a growing number of Americans. The rate at which cremation is used has grown from 4.5 percent of deaths in 1969 to 25 percent in 1999.
Yet many people are not aware of the decisions involved in choosing cremation, including questions regarding what to do with the cremated remains and how to remember and honor the deceased.
Many cemeteries offer family and friends the options of a cemetery burial, placement in above-ground niches or scattering of the remains in a dedicated garden. Some families will keep the remains, often in an urn or scatter them in a location that was meaningful to the deceased.
Some psychologists and grief therapists warn, however, that scattering can make it difficult for survivors to visit the site to grieve and remember the deceased. Families choosing this option may want to scatter only a portion of the remains and keep the rest or place them in the cemetery.
Another decision is what type of memorial service to hold. For example, some families choose to hold a traditional funeral service before the cremation, a memorial service afterward or a service at the final disposition of the remains.
Clearly, it's usually best for families to make these decisions together. Your local cemetery or funeral home can offer you advice on the options available in your area.
To learn more, consult the consumer resource guide at the Web site of the International Cemetery and Funeral Association at www.icfa.org.
Managing Grief (Released October 2000)
Grieving the death of a loved one is part of human nature-scientists have found evidence of burial rituals dating back to 60,000 B.C. If someone close to you has died, you may feel overwhelmed, but it is possible to manage your grief in a healthy way. Experts at the International Cemetery and Funeral Association recommend that you:
- Accept your emotions. You may feel sad, angry, confused, guilty, numb or a combination of these. No emotion is wrong. Accept how you feel and try to work through your grief, rather than avoiding it. And if you feel like crying, don't hold back. Crying can provide a powerful physical release, reducing stress and tension.
- Honor the life of your loved one. Every culture has traditions for commemorating their dead. You may find some type of ritual helpful in accepting the death and beginning to heal, whether through a traditional funeral or another type of ceremony.
- Remember your loved one. Your loved one is gone physically, but he or she lives on in your memories. Many people find it helpful to visit the grave site, plant a tree in their loved one's honor or create memory books and videos.
- Find support. Share your feelings with family and trusted friends. You also may find it helpful to talk to others who have experienced similar losses. Many cemeteries and funeral homes offer bereavement resources or can refer you to support groups.
For more information, read the Consumer Resource Guide at the International Cemetery and Funeral Association Web site at www.icfa.org.
Family Finances: Planning Ahead (Released April 2000)
Planning ahead is always a good idea when it comes to making financial decisions and that includes final arrangements, which some people may find difficult to talk about.
Funeral and burial costs can be more expensive than they need to be, say specialists at the International Cemetery and Funeral Association, because those left making the arrangements are rarely in a state of mind to get the best deal.
Vulnerable survivors may feel obligated to make unnecessary expenses and don't have the time to explore the options. To save loved ones from this kind of unnecessary pressure, an increasing number of people are pre-arranging and even pre-paying their final arrangements. A recent survey funded by AARP found that families who discussed final arrangements beforehand had much lower costs than families who did not.
Another survey by the renowned polling organization, Wirthlin International, found that one in four consumers had pre-arranged some details of their own funeral or burial, and over half of that number have already paid in advance. Approximately half had a cemetery plot. For more information, read the Consumer Resource Guide at the ICFA Web site at www.icfa.org.
RADIO BROADCAST SCRIPT
Handling Grief at the Holidays (Released October 2002)
For those who have lost a loved one, the holidays can be a stressful time - but there are ways to cope with your loss.
First, pare down your "to do" list. Recognize that a slower pace may be better for your mental and emotional well-being.
Consider creating new holiday traditions that commemorate your loved one. For example, visit the gravesite, or light a candle and ask family members to share stories or a moment of silence in his or her memory.
Experts at the International Cemetery & Funeral Association recommend you rely on family and friends for support. Many cemeteries and funeral homes offer bereavement resources and can refer you to support groups.
For those who have suffered a loss, it is important to set realistic expectations and find meaningful ways to remember the deceased. For more information on coping with grief, visit the "Consumer Resources" section at www.icfa.org.
Family Finances: Planning Ahead (Released April 2000)
A growing number of people are working not only to earn more money, but are planning to leave more of that money to their beneficiaries. They are doing so by learning about more ways to cut funeral and burial costs.
These costs can be more expensive than they need to be, say specialists at the International Cemetery and Funeral Association. That's because those left to make the arrangements are rarely in a state of mind to get the best deal.
To save loved ones from this kind of unnecessary pressure, an increasing number of people are pre-arranging and even pre-paying their final arrangements. A recent survey found that families who discussed final arrangements had much lower costs.
For more information, read the Consumer Resource Guide at the ICFA Web site at www.icfa.org.
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