World Water Day, Earth Hour, and Earth Day are just a few popular humanitarian efforts/events that take place in the early months of the year. With their popularity growing exponentially, I don’t think they could’ve timed it any better. Earthquakes, tsunamis, climate change, and as mentioned last week, corporate crises, seem to be occurring at a startling rate, but just when you think the world is going to fall to pieces, the volunteers come to the rescue. Or, wait; is it the ad agencies with their brilliant campaigns that have saved the day?

March 22 was World Water Day, and has been since 1993 as declared by the United Nations General Assembly. However, in the past few years it has gained significant momentum, drawing the attention of celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Pete Wentz, and Ellen Degeneres, just to name a few. Not to mention, grabbing considerable attention in the major media spotlights, making headlines in the New York Times, Washington Post, and on numerous evening news broadcasts. So what caused this growth spurt in its teen years? As much as I would love to say the solution lies simply in the hands of the hard working volunteers, ad agencies played a key role in the awareness campaign, the Tap Project. In 2007, Droga5 – a New York ad agency – approached UNICEF with the concept of the Tap Project, and launched it later that year. For those who don’t know the concept behind the Tap Project, basically, participating restaurant owners in New York asked diners to donate one dollar for the tap water they would usually get for free. The money would be donated to UNICEF and a single donation would allow one child to drink clean water for up to 40 days. Starting off with only 300 restaurants, the Tap Project grew to 2,300 in 2008, and is now has thousands of restaurants across the United States supporting it. Since its inaugural year, the Tap Project has raised over $1.5 million and provided sanitary drinking water to millions of children in over 100 countries. In an effort to help out, other ad agencies have donated time and resources to promote World Water Day, and we’re no exception at Trampoline. In an attempt to promote WWD, we’ve sent out reusable, BPA-free water bottles to all of our clients with a note encouraging responsible water usage. It may not cause massive waves, but every drop counts.

I’m not naïve enough to think that ad agencies are the be-all, end-all of any humanitarian effort. Just look at the Haiti relief efforts that have taken place over the past two months. Hours after disaster struck, Facebook groups were formed, benefits were organized, and dozens of nations came together organically to help a country in dire circumstances. Even A-list celebrities scrambled to do whatever they could to help. Naysayers may claim that’s not the same as an annual event, and to a degree they’re right. However, in 2007, days after the first Tap Project had launched, the World Wildlife Fund, the Sydney Morning Herald, and 2.2 million eco-conscious residents of Sydney, Australia decided it was time to make a statement about climate change. Between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. on that last Saturday in March, participants turned off all non-essential lights and appliances, and created what is now known internationally as Earth Hour. Only a year later, 50 million people across 35 countries took part, and last year hundreds of millions within 88 countries turned off their lights.

So what’s the verdict? Well, I wouldn’t be in the business if I didn’t think advertising could cause a dramatic influence on individuals. Although, as a former volunteer for a charitable organization, I know how much buzz a few volunteers can generate. All it takes is a little hard work, determination, and some catchy advertising…

After spending four years completing his Bachelor of Business Administration in the thriving metropolis of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Dorian decided to explore other major cities around the world. Although sporadic trips were exciting, the novelty of serving double tall lattes faded fast. Thus returning to his native Halifax was a no-brainer, as too was his decision to pursue his passion in advertising. However, when Dorian isn’t crutching around the office, he enjoys relaxing with friends and taking in the best sounds and suds Halifax has to offer. You can find anything from Jazz to House music on his iPod… just not the Jonas Brothers.