Ogilvy on saving the world through advertising

By Eleftheria Parpis

In a testament to the belief that advertising can change the world, Bill Becker, executive director of the Presidential Climate Action Project, told an Adverting Week audience on Wednesday at a three-part discussion on climate change and corporate social responsibility: "If the 'Hopenhagen' campaign started a year ago, we might have a climate bill in Congress."
  The recently launched "Hopenhagen" campaign is a United Nations-driven global campaign created by Ogilvy Worldwide that aims to "create a people's movement," said Freya Williams, senior partner and planning director at Ogilvy. The multimedia effort urges people to get involved by becoming citizens of "Hopenhagen" at Hopenhagen.org and signing a petition urging politicians to "seal the deal" at the United Nation's Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, this summer.

  "We want to connect every person in every city and give people hope," said Tham Khai Ming, worldwide creative director at Ogilvy. "Copenhagen is in Denmark, but Hopenhagen is everywhere."
  The Hopenhagen site also allows visitors to share messages and offers downloadable banners to people and organizations to help spread the world. Coca-Cola has joined the effort, incorporating the Hopenhagen message into the brand's "Live positively" advertising. Siemens and SAP are also involved.

September 23, 2009 in Environment | Permalink