Great Projects Film Company-produced documentary prominently includes VIA’s work demonstrating the true power of advertising in solving tough business problems. The documentary is important to both the American audience as a whole and the advertising industry.
Portland, Maine, September 06, 2006 – The VIA Group announced today its participation in a documentary titled “America Rebuilds: Return to Ground Zero.” The film was produced by Great Projects Film Company and aired on PBS affiliates nationwide on the evening of September 11–marking the fifth anniversary of the bombings at the World Trade Center (WTC) site. VIA’s work for Silverstein Properties, owners and developers of the WTC, is featured prominently in the film as it depicts the sensitive nature of restoring economic vibrancy to Lower Manhattan in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy.
The documentary tracks both the successes of and the stumbling blocks faced by Silverstein, the Port Authority, new and prospective tenants of the new WTC site, and VIA. VIA’s CEO John Coleman, Chief Creative Officer Greg Smith, and Senior Client Strategist and Principal Julia Brady are featured in the film highlighting VIA and Silverstein’s strategy for addressing the unprecedented challenge behind filling more than 10 million square feet of unoccupied office space, while at the same time maintaining respect for all the constituencies involved in the rebuilding of ground zero.
Indeed, the documentary depicts Silverstein’s struggles in renting the building as it faces two years of zero percent occupancy at the site, even while contracting with one of the world’s preeminent real estate brokers, CBRE. In VIA’s first year of work with Silverstein, the developer and VIA came together to develop a strategy that matches the psychographic profile of those businesses willing to lead by public example, in being some of the first corporate entities to take up space at 7 World Trade Center. Once the strategy was developed, VIA created nontraditional advertising for the real estate market. This effort was designed to reach visionary CEOs and decision makers looking for an alternative to the rapidly soaring prices of Midtown Manhattan while also making a bold statement about their companies. Within one year of the campaign’s launch, Silverstein secured a 60 percent occupancy rate at 7WTC with tenants including the New York Academy of Sciences, Moody’s and Mansueto.
“It has been a privilege to work with Silverstein Properties on this historic project,” stated Smith. “We understood at the beginning that this project was bigger than leasing space. It was not a wholly rational business challenge. It was a social challenge, but one in which business was asked to lead the way. And Silverstein Properties rose to that challenge.”
About Silverstein Properties, Inc.
Silverstein Properties is a Manhattan-based real estate development and investment firm that has developed, owned and managed more than 20 million square feet of office, residential and retail space. The firm also built the 3.1 million-square-foot Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., the largest privately developed office building in the United States, occupied entirely by the United States government.
In July 2001, Silverstein completed the largest real estate transaction in New York history by acquiring the 10 million-square-foot WTC, only to see it destroyed by terrorist attacks six weeks later on September 11. Silverstein has committed to the redevelopment of the WTC site.
The redevelopment of the site will have a substantial impact on the New York area economy. According to a report by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, “Rebuilding of the World Trade Center will generate $15 billion in total economic output in New York City and an average of 8,000 jobs each year for 13 years.”
About VIA
Founded in 1993, VIA is an agency with a long track record of helping companies grow by solving their toughest marketing, branding and advertising problems. The bigger the challenge the happier we are. Current clients include Analog Devices, TD Banknorth, HP Hood, Twisted Tea, CBS RADIO, Kick Start, Silverstein Properties, Monster, Dunkin’ Donuts, Cleveland Clinic and Arrow International, who are served from offices in Portland, Maine; Boston; and New York City. More information is available at www.vianow.com.
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