DraftFCB Pledges1000 free hrs to help create jobs

Media Release
Monday 2 March, 2009
For Immediate Release

Advertising agency DraftFCB pledges 1000 free hours to help create kiwi jobs

Advertising agency DraftFCB announced today that it is offering 1000 free hours of advertising expertise to help maintain and create jobs in the challenging economic environment the country is facing.

DraftFCB CEO, Bryan Crawford says of the commitment “We feel that NZ businesses have a collective responsibility to do what they can to help each other weather the current economic downturn and this is our contribution”.

Mr. Crawford adds, “Our staff wanted to take action and do something constructive. As a result we have decided to focus our pro-bono efforts, this year to help protect or create jobs in New Zealand. Because it’s during times like this that we reckon Kiwis should dig deep to help each other".

DraftFCB aims to create or maintain at least 20 jobs as a result of this initiative. Bryan Crawford comments, “While it may seem that our efforts are a drop in the ocean as a solution to the country’s current economic challenges, we hope to see many other Kiwi businesses roll up their sleeves and take similar positive steps over the next weeks and months”.

The '1000 Hours Fund' will cover skills and services from DraftFCB including strategic planning, creative development, media planning and buying, and account management.

By selecting applicants that can demonstrate strong new-job potential the fund will significantly reduce the costs of creating a communications campaign, therefore allowing a company to invest in other areas of their business that will make a difference. Past evidence has shown that companies that marketed their way through the 1980s recession faired better than those who cut back on advertising and communications.

DraftFCB services are best suited for medium to large enterprises. However, the '1000 Hours Fund' is open to any company whose business case demonstrates the potential to create new jobs, including start-up enterprises and exporters.

DraftFCB has been contributing to the growth of New Zealand business via longstanding partnerships with iconic Kiwi companies Mitre 10, Whitcoulls, Noel Leeming Group, Cerebos Gregg’s, Prime TV and Foodstuffs. The agency’s clients also include BMW, MINI and the Ministry of Health for whom they created the successful National Depression Initiative TV commercials that feature John Kirwan.

ENDS

DraftFCB is one of the country’s top marketing and communications agencies, and is part of the DraftFCB Worldwide network. The agency is committed to delivering positive change to its extensive list of clients in the automotive, retail, government, media and FMCG sectors. DraftFCB is a subsidiary of the Interpublic Group of Companies, a US public listed company that also owns the Lowe Worldwide and McCann Erickson Worldwide.

DraftFCB is the 2008 Fairfax/Admedia Agency of the Year.

Notes to editors:

• 1000 free hours of advertising expertise equates to a value of approximately $200,000.

• The 1000 Hours Fund will cover skills and services from DraftFCB including strategic planning, creative development, media planning and buying, and account management. It does not include production costs or any other services not supplied by DraftFCB.

• Applicants submit an expression of interest through our website www.draftfcb.co.nz. Upon receiving the submission DraftFCB will send applicants a list of criteria.

• Applicants must demonstrate that their business and/or project will directly create jobs for Kiwis. They must be committed to producing a communications campaign as part of executing the initiative. There must be adequate funding for the communications campaign.

• Companies in business categories competing with existing DraftFCB clients will not be eligible.

• For the 1000 Hours Fund to provide significant results it is important to provide any selected applicants with quality advice and ideas. This means DraftFCB is likely to limit the maximum number of recipients of the fund to no more than three companies.

ENDS

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