More Messaging for the Earth

At the launch of a public relations and marketing campaign in support of the United Nations' upcoming climate change conference, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stated, "We need a global movement that mobilizes real change." The UN's COP15 conference will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, from December 7 to 18. The promotional campaign, which is led by the public relations firm Ketchum, is called "Hopenhagen." Other marketing and PR firms involved include Ogilvy & Mather, Colle & McVoy, Euro RSCG and Saatchi & Saatchi. "Hopenhagen" ads "are starting to run this week in Cannes, JFK Airport in New York, Los Angeles International Airport and London Heathrow," reports O'Dwyer's. "An 'aggressive' consumer launch" is planned for September, according to the Guardian. "The campaign will complement the UN's 'Seal the Deal!' campaign in support of a global treaty" to follow the Kyoto Protocol. "Hopenhagen" is "modeled as an 'open source campaign' which will include content from users generated online and off." The campaign website allows visitors to say -- in 45 characters or less -- what gives them hope. "We are happy to welcome the Hopenhagen campaign as part of our wide ranging communications efforts for the conference," said Danish Under-Secretary for Public Diplomacy Klavs Holm.