HEINZ ENDOWMENTS | BREATHE PROJECT

CONNECT THE DOTS

Heinz Endowments creates partnerships for cleaner air

Heinz Endowments | The Breathe Project | Video by LFC-RX a Bay Area Medical Production Studio

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BACKSTORY

Pittsburgh, PA is a beautiful city of rivers and bridges with wide stretches of recreational areas but like many northern industrial towns the air quality is not everything it could be. Cleaner now than in many past decades, still unseen microscopic air particles are too high in concentrate, posing a real risk to people with asthma, heart disease and lung cancer.

In an effort to identify and focus attention on this environmental threat, the Heinz Endowments sponsored a multi-platform ad campaign - spearheaded by the Breathe Project and Citizen Group - to encourage businesses and citizens to work together to progress a solution for the betterment of all.

PRODUCTION

Having great affection for the Steel City LFC-RX was more than happy to step in and provide animation, VFX, color correction and motion graphics for this worthwhile cause.

Using multiple on-air PSAs, print ads, billboards, bus shelter ads and a 30-minute informational awareness film the net was cast wide to reach as many people as possible in all areas of Pittsburgh.

The kick-off spot, Pittsburgh Air, was voiced by one of America’s favorite actresses, Blythe Danner, herself, a clean air advocate. Her dulcet tone strikes just the right note to bring across the message.

RESULTS

Increased public awareness in specific targeted groups: the parents of young children, civic-minded, green lifestyle adults and health advocates across the region.

The continued support of on-going coalition strategies to improve air quality in the region, by environment groups and corporations.

Here are some of the many partnerships now working to improve air quality:

  • U.S. Steel Corporation’s $1.1 billion pollution-control upgrade at its Clairton operations.
  • The Endowments’ and Port Authority Transit’s collaboration resulting in bike racks being installed on all buses in the fleet.
  • The City of Pittsburgh’s new 10-Year Clean Diesel Policy, which sets forth target dates for conversion of city-owned diesel-powered vehicles and the adoption of standards for best available retrofit technology for city-owned equipment, along with its adoption of a Clean Construction Equipment ordinance requiring contractors at large city-subsidized construction projects to install similar devices on their diesel equipment.
  • A pollution remediation agreement between McConway & Torley, a Lawrenceville-based foundry, and the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP)
  • A partnership, between the EQT Corporation and Pittsburgh Area Transit, to study the feasibility of converting the entire public transit fleet to natural gas.