September is “National Preparedness Month” — a month when the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reminds Americans to be prepared in advance for national disasters and emergencies.
As part of National Preparedness Month, Team ESPN recently collaborated with the Ad Council to help create a public service announcement (PSA) for FEMA’s annual Ready campaign. ESPN’s marketing team took the lead to create a PSA encouraging ESPN viewers to prepare for emergencies and disasters.
The PSA, along with a series of digital ads, launched in early August to lead off FEMA’s National Preparedness Month in September. The effort brought Marketing and Corporate Outreach teams together along with the agency 77 Ventures to raise awareness about Ready Month with ESPN’s audience.
The spot features a voiceover by ESPN senior writer Wright Thompson as well as ESPN talent Mike Patrick, Orel Hershiser and Bram Weinstein describing heroic moments in sports. The spot then goes on to communicate that real heroes are those who take the time to prepare their families for an eventual natural disaster.
“I was honored to lend my voice to this important effort,” Thompson said. “It takes only a few small steps to prepare your family for natural disasters and emergencies.”
The PSA is designed to encourage sports fans to be the hero to their families by building an emergency kit and developing an emergency plan. FEMA’s Ready.gov has a list of essentials for assembling an emergency kit as well as tips, tools and print-outs to help with family emergency plans.
“Presented within the context of heroism in sports, we believe FEMA’s message will resonate with fans and inspire them to take action to be prepared,” said ESPN’s Aaron Taylor, vice president, marketing.
ESPN and the Ad Council have teamed up on previous projects including PSAs for the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse and the Department of Health & Human Services.
