New York breaks an advertising campaign soon to influence visiting officials of the International Olympic Committee to award the 2012 Summer Games and Paralympics to the city.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the NYC2012 bid committee signed off on a citywide pro bono campaign themed, “Let the Dreams Begin.” The ads bring to life the spirit of an Olympiad in New York's five boroughs.
“We are home to people from every corner of the globe, and as the world's most diverse city, we are an Olympic Village every day,” Bloomberg said in a statement. “So, no matter what the sport is, no matter who is in the pool, in the ring or on the field — they'll be performing in front of a hometown crowd.”
The ad campaign runs Feb. 20-24 to coincide with the visit of the IOC's 13-member evaluation commission for a four-day assessment. The effort marks the final push for New York to win the 2012 Games.
New York's bid committee (www.nyc2012.com) claims the 2012 Olympic Games would trigger the largest investment in parks and recreational facilities in the city's history. The regional economic effect is estimated at $12 billion, with 135,000-plus jobs created.
Campaign elements include television, radio, print, bus shelters, street pole banners, billboards and online. Ads will appear in all of New York's 4,000 subway cars, 7,000 buses and 13,000 taxicabs.
More than 30 organizations donated to the ad blitz. Media donors include NYC & Company, Time Warner and its CNN International unit, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission, Viacom, WABC, WNBC, WCBS, Captivate Media Network and Newsday.
On the creative and production side, assistance was given by ad agency atmosphereBBDO, Kodak, Sony Electronics, HSR Studios, Crew Cuts, Bigfoot Music, IDC, the associations of Independent Commercial Editors and Producers and the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting.
The 2008 Olympics takes place in Beijing. Athens hosted last year's Olympics. The event was said to have cost $12 billion.
Despite its credentials as a melting pot, New York is no shoo-in for 2012. It is the third city on the IOC evaluation commission's assessment tour, after Madrid and London. Next on the list are Paris and Moscow.
In the first two days of their New York visit, IOC officials will meet with city government officials and leaders of the bid. They also will confer with New York experts on the 17 themes in the bid book, which was sent to the IOC in mid-November. Once that process is complete, IOC officials will spend two days touring potential venues.
A decision on the host city will be made July 6 in Singapore.
New York, whose Madison Avenue is the world's marketing hub, is betting that its Olympic bid campaign will do for the city what its advertising does for the world's most famous brands.
If IOC officials have time to get distracted, they will come across New York campaign copy lines like “Every country gets home field advantage,” “People will speak your language,” “Humanity will shine,” “Every flag will wave,” “Somebody will fall in love” and “We're in an Olympic state of mind.”
Mickey Alam Khan covers Internet marketing campaigns and e-commerce, agency news as well as circulation for DM News and DMNews.com. To keep up with the latest developments in these areas, subscribe to our daily and weekly e-mail newsletters by visiting www.dmnews.com/newsletters
