Hopenhagen launched by United Nations and Marketing Industry Leaders

The United Nations, together with the International Advertising Association and a coalition of the world’s leading advertising, marketing and media agencies have launched Hopenhagen – a movement empowering global citizens to engage in the December United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen.

Hopenhagen is a global marketing and communications initiative that aims to inspire and generate mass activation around the world.
 
“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. 
 
Delegates from 192 nations will meet in December in Copenhagen to ratify a new international global climate treaty, which will take effect when the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. The United Nations engaged the global advertising and media industry through the International Advertising Association (IAA) to develop a comprehensive communications program to drive public awareness and generate action. Hopenhagen will complement the UN’s “Seal the Deal!” campaign, which calls on world leaders to “unite to find a solution to climate change that is fair, balanced, effective and science-based.”
 
The strategy and creative concept for the Hopenhagen idea came from WPP’s Ogilvy & Mather team, digital framework and direction were developed by MDC Partner’s Colle+McVoy, and the global PR and messaging plans spearheaded by Omnicom’s Ketchum. The collaboration that has taken place among the world’s leading agencies to develop this campaign for the United Nations is unprecedented and a testament to the significance the industry places on the need for action to address climate change
 
“We believe in the power of movements to inspire and bring about real change,” said Tham Khai Meng, Worldwide Creative Director of Ogilvy & Mather. “Hopenhagen was created to be a campaign of the people.  It provides a platform for individuals around the world to participate and have a say in the future of the world.” 
 
Hopenhagen will be modeled as an open source campaign that is powered by the people and created in the voice of global citizens. The creative inputs from the diverse viewpoints of visitors engaging with the site from around the world will be used to generate online and offline content. 
 
The imagery will emphasize the human and economic aspects of climate change, by contrasting the challenges we face against the tremendous solutions that await if the world commits to aggressive plans to tackle climate change. The tone of the movement is optimistic, honest, authentic and hopeful. 

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. "Our main objective is that an ambitious agreement will be concluded in Copenhagen, and we want to applaud the Hopenhagen campaign for its emotional and inspirational messages. Hopenhagen is a perfect way to engage the world and make everyone part of the discussion and solution at the December COP15 meeting.”
 
See www.hopenhagen.org

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