Hopenhagen

Thursday, 02 July 2009 12:50

On 23 June the United Nations, together with the International Advertising Association and a coalition of the world’s leading advertising, marketing and media agencies, launched Hopenhagen – a movement that empowers global citizens to engage in the UN Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen.

“Climate change is one of the epic challenges facing this and future generations. World leaders will come together for the Copenhagen climate change conference in December and every citizen of the world has a stake in the outcome. It is time to seal a deal. We need a global movement that mobilizes real change,” said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Hopenhagen is about more than hope.

“It is about global action for a global climate treaty and a better future for humankind,” Ban added.
According to the Hopenhagen web page “Hopenhagen is a movement, a moment and a chance at a new beginning. The hope that we can create a global community that will lead our leaders into making the right decisions. The hope that by solving our environmental crisis, we can solve our economic crisis at the same time. Hopenhagen is change – and that change will be powered by all of us”.

Hopenhagen is meant to complement the UN campaign Seal the Deal, for a reasonable and fair climate deal in Copenhagen in December. The campaign is an open source campaign that all nonprofits, governments and citizens of the world can make their own.

The creative concept of Hopenhagen stemmed from the idea that the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen is an opportunity to protect people and the planet and to power global green growth in order to adjust the fate of the planet. The campaign creative will emphasize the need to shift from “coping” or ignoring our global challenges to “hoping” and ultimately acting to create a new reality.

The campaign website, Hopenhagen.org, will serve as the campaign hub, where visitors may learn about climate change issues, express their vision for the future of the planet, and send a message to the delegates attending the UN Climate Change Conference to work together to finalize a strong, global climate change treaty.

An aggressive consumer launch of Hopenhagen will take place in September 2009 and continue through the UN Climate Change Conference in December and beyond. The coming months will be spent engaging key influencers, advocates and partners that will be instrumental in creating viral awareness of the campaign. The IAA is calling on all businesses, governments, nonprofits and citizens to join together to grow and develop the Hopenhagen movement.

"Denmark and Copenhagen are proud to be hosting this historic climate change meeting, and we are happy to welcome the Hopenhagen campaign as part of our wide ranging communications efforts for the conference," said Under-Secretary for Public-Diplomacy in the Danish Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Klavs A. Holm.

The Hopenhagen campaign has been created by a number of ad agencies, including Ogilvy & Mather, Euro RSCG, McCann Worldgroup, Draftfcb, Saatchi & Saatchi, Interbrand, Tribal DDB and Digitas. The creative council was chaired by former Saatchi & Saatchi worldwide creative director, Bob Isherwood.

Source: www.COP15.dk