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Winner
Ketchum and Fireman's Fund Insurance Company: "Into the Fire" Igniting Support for America's Firefighters
The Fireman's Fund Insurance Company (FFIC) was founded in 1863 to support firefighters - those who are often the first on the scene in emergencies. In 2004,
the FFIC launched Fireman's Fund Heritage, a multimillion dollar corporate philanthropy program to provide grants to fire departments and fire-service organizations.
While $11 million in grants have been awarded to date, the FFIC wanted to spark a greater emotional tie to the cause while raising national consciousness of fire-department funding difficulties.
Challenged with that task, Ketchum produced a documentary, Into The Fire. Working with Emmy- and Oscar-winning director Bill Couturie, the film sought to raise awareness of the fire department's underfunding by reaching audiences ranging from FFIC agents and their target customers (affluent 34- to 65-year-old men), to firefighters themselves.
"This was an innovative idea for a very serious client," said one judge. "And it proved successful despite obstacles."
Faced with a small ad budget, Ketchum sought to tap into TV networks' rising use of documentaries. The firm felt a topic like fire service, which truly impacts every community, would draw interest. The History Channel was selected as a partner due to its demographic alignment with the FFIC's target audience.
Fire service leaders, however, were reluctant to associate with the project, citing past film accounts of firefighters that were totally inaccurate. As such, select fire chiefs were enlisted for technical counsel and, ultimately, proved to be the film's strongest supporters.
Into The Fire shared firefighters' stories in their own voices, thus creating the emotional bond. Of course, a Hollywood premiere was still organized to increase tune-in. And celebrities such as Bruce Springsteen, featured in the documentary soundtrack, and Chris O'Donnell, who hosted the film's launch, also helped.
The premiere was attended by 600-plus viewers, while more than 2.7 million men aged 25-64 tuned in for The History Channel debut, nearly doubling the original goal and generating interest from outlets like Entertainment Weekly and The New York Times.
In terms of firefighter outreach, the movie exceeded objectives by 71%, while FFIC agents comprised nearly half of the audience at private screenings held in 29 US cities. Moreover, many agents notified their FFIC contacts to sign up to take part in the grant-giving aspect of the program.
"The very definition of entertainment today requires that the audience become invested in the concept and part of the experience," noted one judge. "This film proved that in a big way."
Honorable Mention
Waggener Edstrom Worldwide and Amazon. com: Harry Potter-mania at Amazon.com
The release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, the final book in the epic series, consumed a worldwide audience. Standing out from the brick- and-mortar stores to position itself as the place to go for all things Potter was the daunting task Amazon.com and its agency, WE, faced. Through creative tactics like "Harry-est Town," where the site tracked the US towns that pre-ordered the most books per capita, and Kid Correspondent, where children submitted videos of themselves discussing their favorite Potter characters, the team shattered its goals with a total of 1.4 million copies pre-ordered on Amazon.com. In fact, pre-sale figures had passed 1 million on May 8, two months ahead of the book's release and 11 weeks earlier than the previous Potter tome. As far as media coverage, the effort drew interest from outlets ranging from the Associated Press to The Leaky Cauldron blog. "In a space cluttered by Harry Potter-mania, Amazon really stood out," said one judge. "No small feat."
Finalists 2008
Brodeur and The History Channel Reinventing a Modern Marvel
Edelman and Microsoft Game Studios Halo 3 PR Program
Ketchum and Fireman's Fund Insurance Company "Into the Fire:" Igniting Support for America's Firefighters
New Line Cinema Hairspray
Waggener Edstrom Worldwide and Amazon.com Harry Potter-mania at amazon.com
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