The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation has launched the verified @JohnFKennedy Twitter handle to introduce the late president’s iconic ideas and messages to a new generation. The activation of @JohnFKennedy on Twitter kicks off the Foundation’s “Words Count” campaign, created by The Martin Agency in Richmond, VA.
Nearly 58 years ago, John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address ignited the country, inspiring a generation to run for office, join the Peace Corps and serve their community because, for the first time, someone asked them to. Throughout his thousand days in office, President Kennedy appealed to Americans’ noblest instincts, voicing a message that sought to unite the country and lift spirits, even as he confronted the struggle for civil rights and the grim reality of the nuclear age.
The @JohnFKennedy tweets will feature exact quotations said or written by Kennedy during his public life, illustrating the relevancy of the words today and providing a historic lens through which people can consider and assess the challenges they currently face.
The posts are featured as the creative foundation for a far-reaching digital, print and out-of- home advertising campaign that will run through winter 2019. The new verified Twitter handle replaces the @JFKsaid account that was also run by the JFK Library Foundation.
This video outlines the initiative.
“With each call to action made by President Kennedy during his time in office, he invited Americans to help him solve problems facing our nation,” said Steven Rothstein, executive director at the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. “Today, we see citizen activism on the rise, increased voter participation rates and a new generation that is speaking out and getting involved in the political process. With the launch of this effort, we hope JFK’s words will speak directly to them, with the immediacy and urgency of a modern platform, to be a guiding light as they set out to shape our future.”
Cecelia Parrish, senior strategist at The Martin Agency, spoke to her inspiration behind “Words Count”: “JFK created a better America — not just through legislation, but through inspiration. When read today, his words still count. They carry cultural impact, if not more so today than when they were spoken decades ago. They are words that may be less familiar to younger generations — generations that are driven to change the world.”
