Coming to a Bus Stop/Magazine/Newspaper/Website Near You
The national fundraising ad campaign for the World Trade Center Memorial launched today makes no bones about how long it has taken to get this thing off the ground (or in the ground, actually). The theme is “It’s time,” and, since two themes are better than one, there is another theme, this one for the first phase, “Bringing Objects,” which the press release explains:
Hey, if you had really wanted to give money before, you could have always visited the memorial foundation’s website. But did you?
Since we know how much you like original documents, we’ll give you the full release after the jump.
–Matthew Schuerman
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, July 6, 2006
WTC MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, GOVERNOR PATAKI, MAYOR BLOOMBERG
LAUNCH NATIONAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN TO BUILD MEMORIAL
Campaign Theme “It’s time” Calls upon Public to Help Build Memorial
Multi-media Campaign Created Pro Bono by TBWAChiatDay New York Will Be Supported Through Donated Media
The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, together with Governor George E. Pataki and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, today launched a pro bono national, multi-media advertising campaign designed to raise awareness and encourage involvement in building the Memorial and Memorial Museum at Ground Zero. The advertising campaign is part of the Memorial Foundation’s effort to raise the remaining $170 million of private dollars needed to build the Memorial and Museum which will honor the memory of those lost in the attacks of September 11th, 2001 and February 26th, 1993.
“This ad campaign will help us reach out nationally to people who care about building a lasting Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center site,” WTC Memorial Foundation Chairman John C. Whitehead said. “TBWAChiatDay New York has created an extremely moving message which reminds us all of the impact of September 11th and the need to memorialize those we lost as well as remember what happened on that day. We are grateful to the support of so many media companies which will make sure that the campaign has both regional and national reach.”
Governor Pataki said, “It is fitting that just days after the anniversary of our nation’s birth we launch a national campaign to ensure that all Americans can be a part of the creation of the Memorial that will honor the heroes of September 11th, 2001–whose lives, actions and ultimate sacrifices remind us who we are as Americans. Like the names that will be etched around the 2 pools, the events of that day and the weeks following will be forever etched in our hearts and our minds. Through the building of the World Trade Center Memorial, we will pay tribute to the strength, perseverance and compassion of our heroes who faced devastation with determination, turned despair into hope, and tragedy into triumph. They proved, as America’s heroes always do, that our strength is not in our buildings, but in our people; not in force of arms, but the power of our unflinching spirit, and with resolve, we will remember the valor with which each and every one of them died.”
Mayor Bloomberg said, “Two weeks ago, we collectively agreed to a revised plan for the Memorial and Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center one that the public can be confident that government can afford and will build within budget. It’s an excellent plan that will commemorate those we lost, provide a space for reflection, and convey the tragedy and the bravery of that awful morning for generations to come. Now it is up to us to do whatever it takes to make this plan a reality, and I believe this new advertising campaign that the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation is launching today is a terrific step to completing this important project.”
The public campaign is the creative output of a broad based effort uniting the leadership of New York’s advertising & media industry. Under the aegis of the WTC Memorial Foundation Communications Advisory Council, the global advertising agency, TBWAChiatDay, developed the campaign which will be executed in television, radio, print, outdoor and online and is designed to reawaken the emotions felt in response to the events of September 11th and inspire people to take part in the process of building the World Trade Center Memorial through their contributions. The campaign galvanizes people around a simple, but poignant call to action — “It’s time.”
The campaign is planned in two phases, with the first phase running from July 6th through the end of August. The theme of the first phase, “Bringing Objects,” references the overwhelming need to memorialize which was felt immediately in the wake of the attacks and still persists five years later. The message, “We needed one then. We need one now,” conveys the importance of remembering and also stresses the present mandate to build a permanent memorial.
TBWAChiatDay Executive Creative Director Gerry Graf led the creative team for the WTC Memorial Foundation campaign and was also the creative lead for the “NYC Miracle” spots which were created in the aftermath of September 11th to spur the economic development of New York City. Award-winning commercial director Joe Pytka volunteered to direct the television spots for both phases of the campaign. Pytka has directed more than 5,000 commercials, including the “NYC Miracle” spots.
“We feel privileged to have the opportunity to be a part of bringing the Memorial to life,” said Graf. “‘Bringing Objects’ reminds us that after the events of 9/11 our first instinct was to build memorials. We gathered together to leave notes, photographs, candles and other personal artifacts. These personal memorials created some of the most powerful positive images of those days. By referencing those images, ‘Bringing Objects’ evokes the spirit of those memorials–their power to help us reflect and move forward in the wake of tragedy and invest to contribute to a permanent memorial: “We needed one then. We need one now.”
The print campaign includes authentic images of personal memorials and tributes which were created in the aftermath of the attacks. All of the images were donated by the photographers. The diverse tribute items, such as a “handwritten poem,” a “mass card,” a “Green Bay jersey,” which are listed in the radio spots and shown in the television spots are all real items which people used to memorialize after September 11th. TBWA researched these items by reviewing photographs of memorials, as well as researching material collected by the New York Historical Society and the New York State Museum. TBWA also met with 9/11 family members and survivors to help formulate ideas for the campaign.
Lee Ielpi, World Trade Center Memorial Foundation Board Member, provided the voiceover for the radio spots. Mr. Ielpi is a retired New York City Firefighter and lost his son, Jonathan, who was also a Firefighter on September 11th.
“I am proud to be a part of this awareness effort to build a lasting Memorial at Ground Zero,” said Ielpi. “This is a beautiful and powerful campaign which reminds the public that September 11th deeply impacted so many lives. Building the Memorial is an important part of the healing process for all of us as individuals and as a nation.”
The campaign which will start running in multi-media on July 11th, will be supported nationally through generous donations from companies and public agencies which have partnered with the Memorial Foundation. (See attached list of media partners to date).
PHD, a leading strategic media planning company, with support from members of the WTC Memorial Foundation Communications Advisory Council, created a media plan on a volunteer basis for the Foundation. The Council was created in the fall of 2005 and began with a telephone call to Matt Scheckner, Consigliere, Yahoo! and Executive Director of Advertising Week. Scheckner readily agreed to act as volunteer Chairman and organized a committee of industry leaders to create and execute a comprehensive campaign integrating all genres of media.
“New York’s advertising and media communities have stepped up and made a resounding statement which will create a real connection between the public and the Memorial campaign,” said Scheckner. “Time and time again, Madison Avenue has been there when called upon to support important causes. Led by TBWA and a phalanx of media donations generated by the Council members, we’re honored to be able to support the Memorial campaign.”
Agency.com, a full-service interactive agency, has been working with the Foundation to create an online marketing strategy on a volunteer basis. In the coming weeks, the Foundation plans to launch a unique online initiative to inspire participation in the Memorial building efforts. The Foundation plans to launch the second phase of the multi-media campaign shortly before the 5th anniversary of September 11th.
The national advertising campaign is part of the Foundation’s outreach and fundraising efforts. In addition, the Foundation plans to hold events, exhibitions, and launch grassroots outreach efforts in order to raise awareness and funds for the construction of the Memorial and Memorial Museum.
“Every contribution, no matter its size, will help make sure that our country has a permanent Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center site,” World Trade Center Memorial Foundation Acting President Joseph C. Daniels said. “We believe that when the public is called upon there will be an outpouring of support, just like we all witnessed in the wake of September 11th.”
ABOUT THE WTC COMMUNICATIONS ADVISORY COUNCIL
The Council is a volunteer group of industry leaders, many of whom lead agencies which are members of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, and has acted in concert to galvanize donations of media to enable the TBWA creative to be seen and heard throughout the United States. (See attached list of Council members).
ABOUT TBWACHIATDAY
TBWAChiatDay, Adweek’s U.S. Agency of the Year, is part of TBWA Worldwide. Clients include Absolut, adidas, Anheuser-Busch, Apple, Beiersdorf, Embassy Suites Hotels, Energizer, Infiniti, Masterfoods, Nissan, Pepsi, Pennzoil, Sara Lee, Sprint/Nextel and PlayStation and Visa.
TBWA creates disruptive ideas for global clients, including Absolut, adidas, Apple, Beiersdorf, Henkel, Masterfoods, McDonald’s, Michelin, Nissan, Samsonite and Sony PlayStation. TBWA is the most-awarded agency network in the world (The Gunn Report, 2005) and is one of the fastest growing top-ten global agency networks. TBWA has 258 offices in 75 countries, and approximately 9,700 employees worldwide.
TBWA Worldwide is part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (http://www.omnicomgroup.com/). Omnicom is a leading global advertising, marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom’s branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.
ABOUT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation established to raise funds as well as own and operate the Memorial and Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site. The Memorial will remember and honor the thousands of people who died in the horrific attacks of February 26th, 1993 and September 11th, 2001. The design, “Reflecting Absence,” created by Michael Arad and Peter Walker consists of two voids that reside in the foot prints of the original Twin Towers surrounded by a plaza of oak trees. The Arad/Walker design was selected from a design competition which included more than 5,000 entrants from 63 nations.
The Memorial Museum will include artifacts, interactive exhibitions, a resource center, contemplative areas, and educational programming which will convey individual and collective stories honoring the memory of the victims and recounting the experiences of survivors, responders, area residents, and witnesses. The Memorial Museum will help facilitate an encounter with both the enormity of the loss and the triumph of the human spirit that are at the heart of 9/11, as it affirms the courage, compassion, sacrifice and resilience the best of humanity demonstrated at a moment of cataclysmic tragedy.
Donations can be made through the Foundation’s website and more information on the Foundation can be found at http://www.buildthememorial.org/ or by calling 1-877-WTC-GIVE.
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