In early April, "a public-service advertising campaign began ... encouraging Americans to show support for American troops." The San Francisco Chronicle asks, "Is it a genuine message of gratitude or poorly designed advocacy for the war in Iraq [3]?" The non-profit Advertising Council [4] designed the print, radio and online ads for the U.S. Defense Department [5]. The spots direct people to the Department's "America Supports You [6]" website. Some marketing professionals "said they believe the message crosses into partisan territory." The founder of Venables, Bell & Partners remarked, "I feel the war propaganda [7] machine." Ad Council president Ellis Verdi rejected the criticism, saying, "What's important is that these are 18-year-old human beings, Americans, who are under stress." The Ad Council was formed in 1942, to increase support for World War II; its campaigns from that time include Rosie the Riveter and "Loose Lips Sink Ships."