I Happen to Like New York
United Way of New York
Issue 55 | June 2020
Agency
Arts & Sciences
Creative Team
Creative Director/Director Matt Lenski
Production Team
Production Company Arts & Sciences Producer Kristin Porter Music Walker
Other Credits
Other Partner Matt Aselton Managing Directors Mal Ward, Marc Marrie
Date
June 2020
Background
United Way is a non-profit organisation that brings charities and businesses together to try to find solutions to problems of education, poverty and health. Each United Way Group of volunteers has its own goals and activities tailored to local issues.
Idea
There have been many heartwarming stories to come out of the COVID-19 crisis in New York, but perhaps none as emotionally resonant as the nightly salute to the front- line workers who put their lives on the line every day.
Each evening at 7pm, New Yorkers have gathered on streets (at a safe distance) or leant out of their windows, banging saucepans, clapping and cheering to salute exhausted healthcare workers making their way home after a shift.
It’s noisy, passionate and emotional, captured on film to the soundtrack of Cole Porter’s classic song, “I happen to like New York” sung by Bobby Short.
The titles encouraged New Yorkers to volunteer or to donate.
Results
Unknown
Our Thoughts
Context is important in understanding some of the ads of this period. This went out on June 4th, when there were serious distractions to the pandemic. Not the least of these was the civil disturbance caused by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. In asking viewers to “Live United”, United Way seemed to be trying to remind New Yorkers of their inherent compassion as much as trying to warn them the virus was still very much a threat.