Last updated: 05/17/2008

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Metro NY Minute -- Special Edition

 

 
We're in Times Square!
 

The UUA is advertizing in Times Square this holiday season on the NBC Astrovision Screen.  Over 36 million visitors will have the opportunity to see a message about the good news of our faith. Click the image to see the ad. (Requires RealVideo player.) You can also see the ad by visiting the District website www.uumetrony.org.

Schedule of Airing

The spots will be viewed by the 2.5 million visitors attending the Thanksgiving Day parade as well as the 750,000 revelers attending the New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square.

 
The spots will be viewed by the 2.5 million visitors attending the Thanksgiving Day parade as well as the 750,000 revelers attending the New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square.

Below is the tentative advertising schedule (subject to change without notice). It may be possible to view the commercial in real time online. Click here.  We recommend CAM #11.

December 23, 2005 – January 1, 2006, each day at approximately the following times:
9:01:30 am
11:01:30 am
1:01:30 pm
3:01:30 pm
5:01:30 pm
7:01:30 pm
9:01:30 pm
11:01:30 pm

Goals of the Campaign

Tracey Robinson-Harris, Director of Congregational Services states, “this media buy was made available to us quickly and we jumped at the chanceThrough the generosity of several donors, who strongly support advertising Unitarian Universalism, we were able to make this buy. It’s a great opportunity to make Unitarian Universalism better known to New York area residents, as well as a national and international audience comprised of tourists visiting the Big Apple.”

The goal of this campaign is awareness. The objective is simple – to get our name out in the public square – in this case, quite literally.  States Robinson-Harris, “prior research from the Kansas City advertising campaign indicated that less than ˝ of 1% of the general public has heard of Unitarian Universalism.  While awareness may be higher on the East Coast, we certainly still need to get our name- and our values- out into the world.”

 
Ask Your Visitors:
Have You Seen the Ad?

We'd like to know how many of your visitors have seen the Times Square ad. For the next six weeks, please ask them about it. In January, we'll contact your membership chair to learn the results.

Sample Visitor Form Available
 
Many congregations ask their visitors how they learned about the congregation, using a brief form. If you'd like a sample of such a form, click here. Included on the form is a question about the Times Square ad.

Marketing Resources

Welcoming and hospitality

Attracting and retaining visitors

Adaptable from the Houston campaign

Direct mail campaign
A good time to do advertising and outreach is at the beginning of the New Year. You might consider a postcard campaign to area residents or new homeowners moving into your community. Direct mail companies have mailing lists to target that group.  One resource: brandnewmovers.com

 

The commercial was created by a production company sub-contracted by the media buying company.  The visuals were adapted from the Houston UU campaign; the families depicted are real UU families from the greater Houston area. The medium is soundless - it’s similar to a lighted and animated billboard - so the visuals and message needed to be impactful and quickly tell our story. The message shares important values of our faith in simply worded phrases and uncomplicated visuals. The commercial directs seekers to the UUA website for information about Unitarian Universalism.

 

For UUs living in, or visiting, the New York City area, we hope you’ll have the opportunity to visit Times Square and see our message proclaimed.  We hope that all our congregations will be conscientious in welcoming visitors to OUR congregations during the holiday season.  Many folks are in need of our message at this time of year. Let’s share the good news of our faith!

 
For more information about the campaign and how to market Unitarian Universalism in your community using the many UUA resources available contact Tracey Robinson-Harris -
 

Guided by our living faith, the Unitarian Universalist District of Metropolitan New York exists to be a source of connection and transformation for our congregations and our larger world.