social networks | *IDEAorange

Branding Peace again.

23-12-2009

The WAR IS OVER! campaign was originally launched by John and Yoko on 15th December, 1969. Billboards with the inscription “WAR IS OVER! (IF YOU WANT IT) Happy Christmas from John and Yoko” were placed in 11 cities worldwide: New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Rome, Athens, Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, London, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Along with these billboards leaflets were distributed, posters plastered up, newspaper advertisements placed and radio announcements made.

When John was asked how much the billboards cost, he replied “I don’t know– but it is cheaper than someone’s life.”

This year Yoko Ono continued the campaign: WAR IS OVER using new social networks and technologies to solidify the brand. The original campaign used the media of that decade billboards, television, print advertising, and radio. This is the second wave. Ms Ono enlisted followers on Twitter, Flickr, Facebook, YouTube, and her website imagine peace. Her twitter messages encouraged followers to take additional actions facilitated by social technologies. WAR IS OVER has been a viral campaign for 40 years.

Flickr included multi-lingual posters that visitors could download and an additional site to upload photos of yourself holding the printed posters and cards. YouTube included historical video of she and John Lennon when the originally kicked off the campaign.

“Henry Ford knew how to sell cars by advertising. I’m selling PEACE. And Yoko and I are just one big advertising campaign. It may make people laugh, but it may make them think, too. Really, we’re Mr and Mrs Peace”
John Lennon