The Brand Atlanta Campaign has selected Grey Worldwide Atlanta (GWA) as the agency of record to develop a brand identity and advertising campaign that will promote Atlanta as a business, tourism, and lifestyle destination. This new campaign will also support objectives outlined in the city's New Century Economic Development Plan. Grey Worldwide Atlanta will execute the advertising components of the overall integrated marketing plan developed by the Campaign's marketing committee. The selection of Grey Worldwide Atlanta follows an extensive search that reviewed more than 50 agencies.

GWA will partner with Lattimer Moffitt Communications, a minority-owned communications firm, to develop a comprehensive advertising campaign that will include TV, print, radio, and outdoor components. The launch of the advertising campaign is expected in the fourth quarter of 2005, and will include the creative concept as well as integrated marketing, communications, and sustainability strategies.

"Capturing the heart and soul of Atlanta is a great challenge and I am confident that Grey Worldwide and Lattimer Moffitt Communications are the team to make this happen," said Mayor Shirley Franklin, chair of the Brand Atlanta Campaign Leadership Team. "Promoting our great city and its many hospitality, tourism, and entertainment offerings is an important objective of the New Century Economic Development Plan and an important goal of mine."

In addition to its responsibilities developing the integrated marketing plan, the Campaign's marketing committee oversaw the agency selection process. Agencies were screened and selected based on a variety of criteria, including multicultural advertising experience, strategic planning and evaluation skills, and previous case studies and creative examples. "The agency search process was exhaustive and covered nearly all of the metro Atlanta-based agencies," said Dick Sullivan, executive vice president of marketing for the Atlanta Falcons and a member of the agency selection team. "We employed rigorous screening criteria to ensure that the agency selection process was objective and well-managed."

Vicki Escarra, chair of the marketing strategy committee and current chairperson of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, added, "With such a wide range of prospective visitors, residents, and businesses that we hope to reach with this campaign, Grey Worldwide and Lattimer Moffitt were the ideal choices to effectively partner with and speak to multicultural audiences, both here and across the country."

Launched in February 2005, the Brand Atlanta Campaign is a public/private initiative charged with creating a new, compelling brand identity and integrated marketing plan for Atlanta. Mayor Shirley Franklin created the Campaign in partnership with the Atlanta Committee for Progress (ACP), an organization of business and academic leaders chaired by A.D. "Pete" Correll, chief executive officer and chairman of Georgia-Pacific Corp. The ACP collaborates with the city of Atlanta on economic development initiatives and advises and guides the city's business recruitment efforts. The Brand Atlanta Campaign committee includes representatives from city government, civic organizations, and local businesses.