The September 11th attack
Ad campaign pushes unity theme after attacks
Advertiser Staff
Across the TV screen, people of differing ages, races and religions — a cross section of the United States — look directly into the camera and proclaim "I am an American."
It's part of a public service ad campaign, turned around in couple of days, as a response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Ad campaigns usually take four months to put together, said Ellyn Fisher of AdCouncil, a nonprofit organization founded as the War Advertising Council in 1942 to rally support for World War II-related efforts
The message for this campaign: "E Pluribus Unum" ("Out of many, one") — the country's first motto, as penned by Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.
The ad agency that came up with the campaign had representatives in Annapolis, Md., ready to put on a presentation on Sept. 11 when terrorists attacked New York and the Pentagon.
After watching the news, the ad reps got into a rented van to return home down South. Somewhere around North Carolina, they brainstormed the campaign, which they hoped would help stem backlash against Arab and South Asian Americans, Fisher said.
The agency contacted the head of the AdCouncil and the spot was shot immediately, then sent via satellite to all the major networks and express shipped to others.
"Diversity unites us, not divides us," Fisher said.
