September, 16 2014, 04:15pm EDT
First Ever Climate Advertisements to Run This Week
San Francisco Bay Area Grassroots Group "350 Bay Area" is first to use TV strictly for the Climate
SAN FRANCISCO
September 16th, 2014, The regional grassroots climate activist group "350 Bay Area" is running the first-ever climate-only TV ad, buying air time on MSNBC in Oakland and San Francisco this week. This is first instance of a climate change-focused ad on American TV, known to the group, that is not directed at a political candidate.
The 30 second ad (which can be seen at https://vimeo.com/106141447) promotes the "Northern California People's Climate Rally" on Sept. 21 in Oakland, which is in support of the historic "People's Climate March" in New York City. The ad was professionally produced by TRMcAfee Productions' owner, Tom McAfee, with narration by Andy Goldman, both Bay Area residents that are concerned about the climate, and contributed their time to the project.
The airing of this climate ad is a breakthrough first for the climate movement in the US. Television ads advocating for the climate have been run multiple times in the UK by the government. Climate ads have been shown in Canada, Australia and other countries. Advertising on American TV to feature climate change have been produced by Tom Steyer's NextGen organization, targeting specific candidates for their climate denial. Other large environmental groups, such as EDF, have also run TV ads for EPA regulations referencing "carbon pollution". NOTE: It is not clear if EDF's "I Will Act on Climate Change" 2013 ad was actually aired.
This climate ad is certainly a first, for one being produced and aired by a strictly grassroots, all-volunteer climate group in the US. Supported only by small donations, 350 Bay Area dedicated about 10% of its available funds for this "climate event of the year" in solidarity with the main NYC march, which is expected to draw over 100,000 people, including a contingent from California.
"It is remarkable that the 350 Bay Area Steering Committee saw the value of breaking into mass marketing for the Northern California People's Climate Rally, and invested a substantial chunk of our funds to reaching a broader audience", said Rand Wrobel, 350 Bay Area's Communications Coordinator and Steering Committee member.
Floyd Earl Smith, author and member of the 350 Bay Area Steering Committee, Executive Committee, and Bay Climate Action Plan (BayCAP) campaign, commented:
"Our new ad gives people the opportunity to take immediate action on climate change by joining the People's Climate Rally in Oakland this Sunday. It's both a breakthrough in outreach to 'the rest of us' and a first step in using television in a new way to help build the climate movement."
This small but significant ad buy includes time during "All In with Chris Hayes", an MSNBC show that has run stories on climate change.
For More information, see https://www.350bayarea.org/norcal_pcm_rally
350 is building a future that's just, prosperous, equitable and safe from the effects of the climate crisis. We're an international movement of ordinary people working to end the age of fossil fuels and build a world of community-led renewable energy for all.
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