They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot spot
This cautionary tale from Joni Mitchell has just as solid a footing in the 21st century as it did when it first appeared on the radio in 1970. And the lyrics speak clearly to us as Minnesotans as well (seeing as we have the pristine Boundary Waters Canoe Area on our northern crest). Truly, it would be fair to say that, here, we have a natural proclivity towards all things natural. So, with this in mind, we recently lent a hand recording a very special radio PSA with Minneapolis Advertising Agency Martin|Williams.
Art Director Melissa Johnson spearheaded the project that’s designed to raise awareness for the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island. The island, just off the Georgia coast, holds a special place in her heart due to vacations and visits there that go back to her early childhood and continue on through to this day. If you take a look at the brief montage we put together (below) of photos from the island – you’ll understand its allure.
Rivers, woodlands, marshlands, and ten miles of unspoiled beaches are all a part of the island’s natural beauty and are the very elements that fulfill its reputation as “the people’s park”. The Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island seeks to maintain this natural wonder through, among other things, “the continued protection of the south end of Jekyll from further development or redevelopment.”
This point stood as the main topic of the radio spot, which leads the listener along the path of what the island is now, to what it would become – noisy, crowded, over-developed; a Georgia peach pitted by big money and special interests. Copywriter Julie Kucinski and Martin|Williams’ own Jan Pettit (as announcer) came together with Melissa to help carefully craft the message. We’re proud to have contributed. Even prouder to know that the organization loves it. Here’s the spot called, “Traffic”.
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This a 30 second montage of photos of Jekyll Island – some from Melissa and others we found while trolling the web.
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Wanna get involved? Visit the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island.