AD Council / USOC

With the 2008 Olympics on the horizon and steroid scandals in the spotlight, the Ad Council, U.S. Olympic Committee, and Johnson & Johnson launched a bold campaign to reduce teen steroid use. Instead of repeating health warnings or moral lectures, the campaign tapped into a deeper insight: teens know steroids work, feel invincible, and don’t see cheating as a dealbreaker—unless it makes them look fake.

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That insight led to a powerful symbol: the asterisk—a mark of shame from the baseball steroid era that now represents fraud and lost credibility. The message was clear: Take steroids, and you risk being branded forever.

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“Don’t Be an Asterisk” became a peer-driven movement. Teens embraced the icon, shared the message in their own words, and spread it across YouTube, blogs, and even Urban Dictionary. With no paid media, the campaign saw explosive growth and cultural traction, YouTube views up 300%, TeacherTube up 200%, and online chatter surging every time the message aired. The asterisk became more than a symbol—it became a warning, a badge of shame, and a reason to stay clean. Because at the end of the day, every teen wants to be accepted. And no teen wants to be an asterisk.