White House officials have unveiled a new education initiative intended to boost awareness of intellectual property theft and its effects on the nation as a whole.

"Now, as our country continues to recover from once-in-a-generation economic challenges, the need to safeguard intellectual property rights and protect Americans from IP crimes has never been more urgent," said Attorney General Eric Holder, according to Reuters. "Through this new public education campaign, we are encouraging the American people to become more vigilant partners in identifying and disrupting intellectual property crimes."

The comprehensive IP protection campaign will raise awareness surrounding the threats facing everyone from recording artists to pharmaceutical and software manufacturers. Federal officials will roll out the campaign in a series of print, radio and television public service announcements involving MTV Networks and several other popular media outlets.

The White House has also issued a bulletin reminding consumers to be on the lookout for counterfeit and pirated products when searching for deals this holiday season. According to Obama administration spokeswoman Victoria Espinel, such threats to intellectual property undermine the success of American innovators and entrepreneurs poised to jumpstart the economy in the coming weeks.