How would you make a 300-year-old man seem alluring? Modern? Engaging? While you're at it, we'd also like you to inspire thousands to willingly hang around Philadelphia in the middle of winter and spend stacks of money for days at a time. Facing such seemingly disparate tasks, a Wilmington advertising firm realized that while it was a daunting challenge, they had the perfect pitchman. Benjamin Franklin. The 18th-century patriot and inventor came with enough personality and mystique to inspire the ad executives at Caspari McCormick as they searched for a way to sell the statesman's international 300th birthday celebration, which got under way Dec. 15 and lasts through April 30. One thing organizers did want was a Ben that was accessible, and a sense that the celebration wasn't just dusty, fusty history stuff, said Rosalind Remer, director of the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary. Those cheesy characters dressed in Ben Franklin outfits on TV commercials? Forget it. The Ben we know from the $100 bill? Been done. For Caspari McCormick, the Ben we would want to know peers back at us with a vaguely inscrutable benevolence, and the kite that would make him so famous transforms into an image of the modern times he helped influence -- an electric plug. And for the kicker slogan? How about "Philly's got Benergy!" Remer also sees energy in Franklin's face. "The expression seems to be saying, 'Come learn about me,' and 'I'm interested in what the modern world's about.' " The ad campaign is now plastered on New York City buildings, tacked up around Center City Philly, and can be seen in television spots. The celebration, along with the campaign, will make its way to St. Louis next, then on to Houston, Denver, Atlanta and Paris. Matt Caspari, founder, partner and creative director at Caspari McCormick, said the project took more than a year to pull together, and came with two challenges: Accommodating the separate interests of sponsors and shrugging off the potentially stultifying stigma of a bygone era. "History as a general subject ... is something people yawn at a bit," he said. "We were worried that people would get the impression that this was strictly a history show," Remer said. "This is so much more than that. We were looking for something that would say, this is new, this is fun, this is exciting." It also needs to say that Philly's just the place for that fun and excitement, said Phil Castellano, chief operating officer of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Some ads include images of the center, and feature the teasing inducement, "Have you seen what's up in Philly lately?" Ultimately, it was the energy and familiarity of Franklin himself that helped, Caspari said. "It helps quite a bit, because there are things about Ben Franklin that are part of the common vernacular. People already associate him with kites and electricity. ... If it was about James Monroe, what would you know?" Contact Eric Ruth at 324-2428 or eruth@delawareonline.com. ON THE WEB |
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