Advertising Agency CreateAthon® Celebrates Tenth Year

(PRLEAP.COM) Columbia, SC – March 27, 2007 – Rarely can 24-hours yield such positive goodwill and impact the programs of so many nonprofit organizations than a simple concept implemented by extraordinary, creative and passionate people. Heralded as a 24-hour, work-around-the-clock creative blitz, CreateAthon provides a platform for advertising agencies from across the nation can unite under a common cause and generate advertising services for nonprofit organizations with little or no budget. Program organizers and founders, South Carolina advertising and creative agency RIGGS, are interested in recruiting 40 more advertising agencies to participate in this year’s CreateAthon effort, which happens to be its 10th anniversary. Agencies interested in participating should log on to www.createathon.org.

CreateAthon began in 1998 when founders Cathy Monetti and Teresa Coles jokingly said they needed to work around the clock to catch up on their workload. An idea was hatched to do just that, but do the work for charity in their local Columbia, South Carolina market. In 2001, RIGGS expanded the program to form a national CreateAthon Network with the goal of reaching hundreds of nonprofit organizations in need across the country. Since the expansion from a single market to an international effort in 2001, a combined total of 40 agencies have joined the CreateAthon network, holding CreateAthon events in their cities. This effort has benefited 833 nonprofit organizations with 1,809 projects valued at $7 million.

The event is typically held the second or third week in September.

“We expect most agencies are just like ours in the amount of pro bono requests we receive. Managing that is practically a full-time job,” CreateAthon coordinator Amanda Drinkall said. “CreateAthon is our way of managing this work while helping nonprofits in local communities spread the word about their mission.”

The deadline for agencies to agree to participate in this year’s CreateAthon is Friday, May 18. CreateAthon partnerships are available to agencies one per market and on a first-come, first-served basis; however, an agency may choose to challenge or partner with another in the market.

Participation is simple: Adopt the basic approach behind CreateAthon, a 24-hour work blitz for charity, and hold the event during CreateAthon Week (September 10 – 16, 2007). While agencies can hold their event during any 24-hour period that week, Thursday – Friday, September 13 – 14 is recommended. Agencies must commit at least a portion of their staff to participate in the event and complete a minimum of five projects. When an agency signs on as a CreateAthon partner, they will be granted legal access to the trademarked name and identity of CreateAthon, as well as access to the password protected portion of the www.createathon.org website, which includes a complete how-to kit.

The kit has the following components:

• checklist of the basic steps to follow in planning, implementing and promoting the event
• recommended timetable of event activities (hint — you need to start soon)
• suggestions on how to compile a nonprofit database to issue applications
• sample press releases
• access to the official CreateAthon identity, along with guidelines for basic uses
"Most agencies are like ours, in that they receive many pro bono marketing requests throughout the year," RIGGS partner Teresa Coles said. "Responding to those creative requests and managing the projects can put quite a strain on the agency. CreateAthon is a great way to give back to the community by focusing efforts during a concentrated time period. In fact, an agency can give back more by doing it at one time as opposed to juggling multiple pro bono projects throughout the year."

RIGGS, Inc. is a full service advertising agency headquartered in Columbia, S.C., providing a broad array of strategic planning and creative services related to brand marketing. Major clients represented by Riggs include those in banking, healthcare, tourism, economic development and retail sectors. More information can be accessed at www.riggspeak.com.



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Editor’s Notes

Past Work Available Here: http://www.createathon.org/natl_work.html

Interviews Available via Media Contact: rroeser@eisenmanagementgroup.com or 859.586.4302

Localization w/ Local Participating Agencies

2003 Article: http://www.howdesign.com/dc/features/openallnight.asp

Media Contact: Rodger Roeser, APR
Eisen Management Group
rroeser@eisenmanagementgroup.com
859.586.4302

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