Influential global leaders and celebrities from film and sports have donated their time, talents and voices to support Rotary International‘s “This Close” campaign, the organization’s final push to end polio worldwide.
The global PSA campaign features prominent global leaders and celebrities including Bill Gates, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Jackie Chan, Dr. Jane Goodall, Jack Nicklaus, Queen Noor of Jordan, Itzhak Perlman and Amitabh Bachchan. Each uses a simple hand signal, “This Close“, to represent the momentum toward wiping out polio throughout the world.
The ads, created by Rotary’s marketing agency of record Schafer Condon Carter, will break in January 2011 and will run via print and broadcast outlets that donate time and space.
Beginning in 1985, when polio paralyzed more than 350,000 children in 125 countries every year, eradication has been Rotary International‘s top philanthropic goal. Since then, polio cases have been slashed by 99 percent worldwide, with fewer than 1,700 cases in 2009. Just four countries remain polio-endemic: Nigeria, Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan. However, other nations remain at risk for infections “imported” from the endemic countries.
As the volunteer arm and top private sector contributor in the polio eradication initiative, Rotary has contributed more than $900 million and countless volunteer hours to immunize more than two billion children in 122 countries. The “This Close” campaign is part of Rotary’s $200 Million Challenge, an effort to raise money to match $355 million in challenge grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
“For 25 years Rotary has led the private sector in the global effort to rid the world of this crippling disease,” says Kathy Kessenich, communications manager for Rotary International. “This campaign will help in the final push raise awareness and funds needed to get us to our goal of eradicating polio once and for all.”
Broadcast commercials feature celebrity images and voices saying “We are this close to changing the world. We are this close to making history. We are this close to ending polio.” The print campaign utilizes the same celebrities again making the hand signal to symbolize the campaign’s theme.
“This has been an extremely rewarding experience for Schafer Condon Carter,” says Denny Hebson, creative director for SCC. “We’re proud to be a part of one of the greatest humanitarian efforts of our time.”
Creative Credits “This Close” :60, :30 and :15
Rotary International: David Alexander
Agency: Schafer|Condon|Carter
Creative Director: Denny Hebson
Copywriter: Denny Hebson
Art Director: Cristen Young
Agency Producer: Leroy Koetz
Account Director: Veronica Stump
Production Company: Untitled TV
Director: Geoffrey Barish
Editorial House: Nolan Collaborative/Jeff Nolan
Sound Design & Mix: Jeff Nolan
Retoucher: Melissa d’Ouville
About Rotary International
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide to provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. It is comprised of 1.2 million members working in over 33,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary members initiate community projects that address many of today’s most critical issues, such as poverty, disease and illiteracy. For more information visit www.rotary.org/endpolio.
About Schafer|Condon|Carter
Schafer Condon Carter is Chicago’s top independent mid-size advertising agency, and one of the fastest growing shops in the U.S. SCC has built its success by challenging the status quo and delivering a tightly orchestrated, fully-integrated brand vision for its clients across an infinite set of consumer touch points. SCC’s work product manifests as powerful brand ideas that drive stakeholder value. A simple mission drives SCC’s entrepreneurial spirit and aggressive, growth-oriented culture: “Think Again.” SCC is based in Chicago and its wholly owned network includes SCC|Grossman Public Relations and SCC|Digital. The agency employs more than 65 people. For more information visit www.sccadv.com.
