USCCB - (Office of Media Relations) - US Bishops' Catholic Communication Campaign Releases New PSA Campaign to Promote Reconciliation

US Bishops' Catholic Communication Campaign Releases New PSA Campaign to Promote Reconciliation

WASHINGTON (August 31, 1998) -- The U.S. Bishops' Catholic Communication Campaign has released the first in a series of powerful new public service messages designed to encourage people to square the relationships that are most important in their lives. The new campaign, created pro bono by Saatchi & Saatchi, consists of television, radio and print PSAs and embraces the line "If you think you can't make it right, you're wrong," in order to dramatize the power that people have to restore damaged relationships.

"With a new millennium on the horizon, there's no better time to square the relationships that are most important in our lives," said Bishop Robert N. Lynch of St. Petersburg (FL) and chairman of the Bishops' Communication Committee. " Most people have someone close to them with whom they've had an argument, misunderstanding, or lack of communication that has led to a falling out. This effort is designed to powerfully demonstrate the costs of 'not making it right' and to show what is possible if you just take action."

Three 30-second television spots emotionally depict relationships that have gone awry. The first one ("Today"), involves two brothers who have not spoken for years; a second ("Mourning"), depicts a father who hasn't talked to his son since they had an argument; and a third ("Conversation") features a daughter who failed to reconcile with her father before his death. The same situations are emotionally presented in three 30-second radio announcements. Print ads extend this message to newspapers and magazines, with simple illustrations of paper cutout figures asking to "reconnect with someone you love," and a bandaged heart appealing to "heal a broken relationship."

"Saatchi & Saatchi has a history of providing public service and developing world-changing ideas," commented Jennifer Laing, Chairman and CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi in North America. "We created these new PSAs to encourage people of all faiths to exercise their power to forgive."

Underscoring the universal appeal and importance of this campaign is the fact that singer/songwriter David Crosby and actor Dylan McDermott donated their services to the completion of these spots at Saatchi & Saatchi's invitation. Crosby and his son, James Raymond, created and performed the music, while McDermott provided the voice-over narration.

The first of the materials in this campaign will be distributed to more than 1,500 television and radio outlets this month and are expected to go on the air in September.

The U.S. Catholic Conference is the public policy agency of the U.S. bishops. Through its Catholic Communication Campaign, the USCC produces and distributes a variety of media projects including television documentaries that examine spiritual themes, Christmas and Easter specials, and public service campaigns about issues of national importance.

Saatchi & Saatchi is one of the world's leading global agency networks, with 181 offices in 91 countries and worldwide billings of $7.1 billion. Its list of blue-chip multinational clients includes: Delta Air Lines, DuPont, Eastman Kodak, General Mills, Hewlett-Packard, Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble and Toyota.