[STEAM] Ad Council brings gun safety PSA into gaming for first time with ‘Agree to Agree’ campaign

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The Ad Council has launched its first gaming-focused campaign for “Agree to Agree,” a national firearm injury prevention initiative, marking a new push to reach parents through gaming environments rather than traditional media.

The campaign, developed with creative agency Sawhorse Productions and mobile gaming ad network Admazing, debuted Wednesday, August 19, with a 30-second animated public service announcement and a custom playable ad designed to run natively inside games. It’s the first time the Ad Council’s award-winning “Agree to Agree” program has extended into gaming.

Firearm injuries remain the leading cause of death for children and teens ages 1 to 17 in the U.S., and 6.7 million children live in homes with an unlocked, loaded gun, according to the Ad Council. Many parents are unaware of the risk, the organization said in a press release, even though basic conversations about secure storage can prevent tragedies.

“Gaming environments bring powerful storylines to life, and in many games, firearms are a natural part of those narratives,” said Laurie Keith, Senior Vice President of emerging media and technology at the Ad Council, in the press release. She said the team wanted to reach players in-platform with a firearm injury prevention message and encourage them to have lifesaving conversations in real life.

The Ad Council’s gaming PSA was built in Unreal Engine, a familiar tool for game makers, pairing an animated spot with an interactive playable ad from Admazing. The video opens on a sci-fi space battle before pivoting to a real-world scene of a parent securing a firearm ahead of a playdate — a structure Nic Hill, co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Sawhorse, said was deliberate.

“We knew a heavy, serious gun safety ad would feel preachy to gamers, so we went the other way, fantastical and funny, in a world they’d recognize instantly. The sci-fi battle was our way in. Earning that recognition first is what makes the cut to a real parenting moment land.” Hill said.

That approach marks a shift from Sawhorse’s usual playbook. The agency’s interactive division typically builds immersive 3D worlds and brand integrations across platforms like Fortnite and Roblox, but Hill said that wasn’t the right tool for this campaign. The goal wasn’t time spent with the content, he said, but a single moment of recognition that pushes someone toward a conversation about secure firearm storage, something a short video can accomplish while still scaling across social, mobile games, and Roblox.

Admazing, which connects brands with audiences across the mobile gaming ecosystem, developed the playable ad unit so users can engage directly with the campaign’s message instead of just watching a video. The company is also helping distribute the campaign across its network of mobile gaming environments. Additional donated media support for the campaign came from Aquatica Studios, Basket Entertainment, Chartis, Skylight Media, and Bent Pixels, extending the PSA’s reach into gaming and social platforms popular with Millennial parents.

“Agree to Agree” is a nonpartisan communications initiative from the Ad Council focused on common ground around firearm safety, backed by a coalition of health care, foundation and brand partners. The campaign offers conversation guides and other resources for parents at

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Hill said he doesn’t see the Ad Council’s gaming push as a one-off. The gaming audience is too large to ignore, he said, and this campaign proved it’s targetable, reaching Millennial parents who game through the right platforms and partners. He expects it’s only a matter of time before gaming moves from the innovation bucket into the mainstream media mix for campaigns like this one.

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