“Children's Future”
Clean Cars Campaign
Climate Solutions

Creative Strategies was hired by Climate Solutions, a 501(c)(3) working with a coalition to pass state legislation giving Washington state drivers access to better-engineered, cleaner-burning cars. Supporters and opponents alike expected the effort to take at least two legislative sessions to win, but the campaign made history by getting legislation passed in just three months. The campaign was highly integrated, led by a united lobbying team and using advertising, direct mail and media relations to lend credibility and clout to each other. The ads were produced overnight, using 16 mm and 8 mm film and testimony from actual Washington consumers and a car dealer. The buy was highly targeted to reach key communities statewide.

To break through to a broader community and gain visibility with potential supporters, GAP turned to Creative Strategies. With a fraction of a conventional campaign budget to work with, the campaign made a large impact. Instead of a heavy-handed criticism of Hanford by an unseen third party, we showed how one man's struggle underscored basic American values – that doing the right thing is still the right thing to do in America .

Shortly after the spots aired, management at Hanford sat down with GAP and agreed to major progress in how workers are treated.the GAP . The ads led to major national coverage, and the first positive local coverage in years – critical for worker morale. [see sample local TV story]

“Digital Divide”
It's Your World
AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps, the national service movement targeting primarily college-age Americans, faces a tough challenge: reaching a generation that is more cynical than its older brothers, sisters or parents – and asking them to consider giving two years of their lives to improving the country through volunteering.

Kurt led the branding effort and development and execution of key materials, from logo to slogan to films, posters and PSAs. Focus groups showed that the statement, “AmeriCorps: It's your world. It's your chance to make a difference” worked with this audience when many other messages did not. Because young people considered “their” world the local community. No participant in the research believed they could actually “change the world” anymore, but maybe they could make a difference in this neighborhood, this town. The materials, especially the TV PSAs, garnered national awards and were used in some regions at least three times longer than the campaign's expected duration.

“Elections”
“Education”
“Clone”
Ron Wyden

US Sen. Ron Wyden is popular in Oregon , but reaching out to rural men was one area he wanted to work on in the '96 election. Research showed a cultural gap between voters in Portland and the rest of the state, with Ron's strength greatest among city voters. To break through to the desired audience, Kurt wrote a series of ads starring “Don & Harry”, two old friends fishing on a lake near Oregon landmark Mt. Hood . Don & Harry, actually portrayed by two actors from Ashland , Oregon 's popular Shakespeare Festival, kibitzed back and forth, using humor to connect to the audience and still hit key campaign arguments. The campaign received top political and national advertising awards and extensive, positive coverage in the local press. Wyden won handily.

“Work Day”
Bill Nye the Science Guy
Conservation Strategies

Northwest environmental advocate Paul Brainerd made possible a series of ads to support local conservation efforts in Washington state, encouraging voters to get active. To get the most impact for Brainerd's budget, Kurt made a cold call to Bill Nye the Science Guy, well-known nationwide by young people and a celebrity especially in Washington state. Bill agreed to star in three ads, written by Kurt and filmed in western Washington . The award-winning result was used by Washington Conservation Voters, considered the state's most powerful political voice for environmental issues, to raise visibility and encourage voters to “call, click, vote!”

“Check Your Feet”
American Diabetic Association
American Association of Health Plans

Thanks to the good sense of humor of Atlanta football star Roberto Garza, what could have been a run-of-the-mill health message was instead a spirited, compelling challenge to diabetic Americans to get their feet checked. Because diabetes robs people of feeling in their feet, making it easier for serious infections to damage or even destroy limbs.

“The Face of Tomorrow”
UNITE

When the well-known Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers' Union and the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union merged, they needed not only a single identity, but something with heart and soul, like the famous “look for the union label campaign” that preceeded the merger. Kurt wrote and directed a TV, radio and print campaign that featured the diversity and hope of the new union, including composing and recording its new anthem, “Unite: The Face of Tomorrow.”