In the 1990s, the Wall Street Journal ran a campaign for itself selling the benefits of—what else?—advertising in the Journal. (Let’s recall the pre-internet days, when the four broadcast networks, print outlets such as the Journal and the New York Times, and newsweeklies Time and Newsweek were the ad domains of blue-chip brands.) In that Journal campaign, “I Wish I had Done That Ad,” agency creative directors gushed with admiration—and a hint of envy—about others’ impactful ads they’d wished they had done, ending with a plug for why they make media buys in the Journal.
Those ads came to mind—with similar feelings of admiration and envy—with the launch of the Time’s Up initiative at the recent Golden Globe Awards. It was the right message at the right place at the right time with the right person leading the charge on an issue that’s presently at the zeitgeist. And, oh how we wish we had done that campaign. And there are countless takeaways from Time’s Up for reputation managers, marketers, and brand stewards for rolling out an issue-oriented campaign or launching products and services. It had all the elements. Consider:
- The Message: Sexual harassment, abuse of power, hostile workplaces, and wage inequality are not welcome in American society—period. The message couldn’t have been made more clearly at the Golden Globes. It applies to every business and profession, without qualification, and not just the entertainment and media industries.
- The Launch Platform: Where better than at the Golden Globes, with millions of eyeballs from around the world trained on Hollywood and the industry that busted this dirty little (not so) secret wide open?
- The Name: The best names are distinctly single-minded and reinforce the brand, the product or the issue. Time’s Up says it all—resonating simply and distinctively.
- The Spokesperson: Oprah. If you’re going to take a stand on a position or launch a campaign like this, best to do it with the only “mononym” on this planet whose name is as widely known as Jesus and whose credibility is arguably as high. (And, while we’re at it, let us also say with our immense admiration how we wish we’d written “The Speech,” too—it was one for the ages.)
- The Visual: Black. Designer couture black yet reinforces the fashion industry adage that everyone does look better in, well, black. More importantly, it underscored the importance and solemnity of this cause and for over three hours reinforced the message visually. (And, the added visual of universally likeable figures such as Tom Hanks sporting his Time’s Up lapel pin further demonstrates the voices behind the cause.)
Time’s Up has a singular opportunity, as well as an immense challenge. Now that it has electrified us, can the movement use the initial awareness
to drive a social sea change arguably unmatched since the Civil Rights movement? Or, will its voice falter? We will be watching and know the world
will be too.
