The Financial Times has announced the release of its new brand film, "Without fear and without favour", part of its fearlessly pink campaign. On the eve of the UN’s International Day of Democracy, the FT launched the film by projecting it onto County Hall, across the Thames from Westminster.
Produced by creative advertising agency the Orange Panther Collective, animation studio H5 and projection specialists Pixel Artworks, the film shows how the words on the paper’s original 1888 masthead have inspired its journalism - and underlines the role of the press in a functioning democracy.
FT chief communications and marketing officer Finola McDonnell said: “As we look to 2024, with elections taking place in more than 50 countries including the US, UK, India, Indonesia and Taiwan, it’s vital that we remind readers of our brand promise - to report fearlessly, making sense of global events."
Orange Panther Collective co-founder Simon Hewitt said: ”The Financial Times is a bastion of integrity and unbiased reporting, and we felt it was important to remind both existing FT fans and hopefully a new swathe of FT readers how that integrity has been baked into its DNA since its inception, and will never wane.”
The fearlessly pink campaign – which will deliver 500mn impressions this autumn from combined brand and consumer activities – celebrates the globally recognised colour that today represents the heritage and innovation of the FT brand, added the publisher.
The FT says brand advertising placements will run on billboards in London and New York, and digital ads will reach users in Europe and North America on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and news sites. Creative will feature footage from the County Hall activation, alongside lines that include ‘The pen is mightier than the fraud’ and ‘Whoever wrongs, we write'. Campaign collaborations have included Paul Smith, Brompton Bikes, Rosslyn Coffee and artists Christabel Blackburn, Martha Freud and Hannah Marshall.
A customer-focused campaign, led by the FT’s Consumer Revenue Group, will
also feature in UK, CEMEA, US and APAC markets, with emphasis on the
fearlessness and confidence that the FT gives its readers on a daily basis.
The B2C campaign will focus on an extensive channel mix through the funnel,
including: OOH, audio, programmatic video, paid social, paid search and
display. The campaign will also promote the FT app, with app specific
placements across ASA, ACi and ACe. Acquisition placements will promote a
50% discount for the Standard Digital subscription, which gives access to a
breadth of FT news and analysis, as well as special features, videos and the
FT app.
