Cummins&Partners NYC takes action to help furry friends in Australia with @koalasofnyc
Cummins&Partners New York, an agency with Australian roots and over 50% Australian employees, has felt the impact of the devastating bushfires and has taken action to help furry friends in Australia all the way from NYC.
At the crack of dawn on Friday, January 10, 2020, the agency scattered around NYC and positioned stuffed koala plush toys in prominent locations all over New York City. Attached to the koalas was a QR code directing folks to the Koalas of NYC Gofundme page to spread awareness and raise money for WIRES (Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service) – the largest wildlife rescue & rehabilitation charity in Australia.
Says Rachel Mitrani, New York native and creative member of the team: “Working at an Aussie-founded ad agency, has made Australia dear to my heart. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel there on business and spend time with these iconic and beautiful animals. I absolutely adore them.
“I was compelled to connect New Yorkers to what was happening on the other side of the world. With the demands of life these days, it’s often difficult to really understand the impact of the bushfires unless you’ve experienced Australia for yourself.”
Since launching less than 2 days ago, we have already generated awareness across all continents through millions of impressions, snaps, and tags (@koalasofnyc) raising thousands of dollars, not to mention, the hundreds of heartfelt messages and encouragement flowing in from followers and passersby on the streets.
“I’ve loved seeing the reactions to our koalas. This activation reminds people of the kindness and humanity that still exists in the world. How a team, a city, a world can come together in times of crisis and shed a little light. The juxtaposition of some of the world’s most unique wildlife amongst a concrete jungle like New York City is what is so moving about this.”
In a world of fragmentation and environmental concern, this is a movement that unites, holding so much relevance and longevity. Significant global interest has already proven that.
All photos and videos continue to be posted on the official Koalas of NYC Instagram page @koalasofnyc.
Please continue to spread the word to save Australia’s most iconic and treasured wildlife, our country and its people! Your support is deeply appreciated.
To donate: Please donate to WIRES via the Koalas of NYC Gofundme page.
32 Comments
In their Facebook post, the girl pictured pinning the Koalas up is then seen photographing the QR code like a passer by. Presumably for the award case study video that this has been created for.
Please sigh quieter.
Desperate for publicity. It would be more genuine if it was done without the publicity.
You’re quite literally in the business of promotion. Grow up.
Hi @Sigh, You’re absolutely right, that girl pictured is me – Diane Villavieja, Ops @ Cummins & Partners NYC. I’ve been posting koalas up and trying my best to get attention to our worthwhile cause and was showing a passerby the other side of the tag so he knows how to donate. Our team has been nonstop campaigning and literally asking people to donate on the streets because this means a lot to us. So say what you want, but all we want to do is bring awareness to what’s happening in my home country and raise money for the wildlife.
Please donate! https://www.gofundme.com/f/koalasofnyc
Great work to all involved. It has been all over the press and radio…and is getting terrific response. Deservedly so.
Thx Di. That was unreal.
Problem solved
Just a note – Vic wildlife isn’t receiving as many donation as everyone else, so please consider sharing what is raised with them?
Thank you for helping fundraise Dianne and team. Great work. It would add to the cruelty to use this as an award show entry though. If you are considering that, please donate your entry fees to WIRES instead. Perhaps the whole industry could consider doing the same for any bushfire initiatives. All the best Dianne. Great work again.
Give me your money!
Well done for raising awareness and money guys
I’m sure no ad agency will be entering any awards for work they produce in response to the bush fires – they would get absolutely slaughtered if they did
I’m genuinely interested as to how this would ‘add to the cruelty’ by admitting it to any awards? I mean no one has given any indication this is being put up for awards so why add this comment at all? And why would it be such a bad thing anyway?
I meant it would be cruel to use the death of one billion plus animals for personal gain. But you’re right – the article doesn’t mention awards so hopefully I’m wrong. Again, nice work Dianne and team.
WIRES have indicated they’re sharing donations with Vic 🙂
Why would it be bad to coat tail off the back of tragedy, death and distruction?
You’re kidding right?
Based on your logic there shouldn’t even be a Charity category in award shows then? So any pro bono or charity work’s entry fee should be donated to whatever cause they’re raising awareness for instead?
“…any pro bono or charity work’s entry fee should be donated to whatever cause they’re raising awareness for instead” – What a great idea!
yeah…nah.
Folks..stop scrambling for reasons to knock this. It’s very good, it comes from a good place and my friends in New York are talking about it. Big props to the people involved. What are you doing to make a difference?
It’s gold.
Any agency entering awards off the back of work done in response to the bush fires would get slaughtered and rightly so. This is nothing to do with advertising accolades and I’m sure C&P would agree
Pathetic
Whilst it’s great to encourage donating – those plush toys are made from polyester (and where were they sourced?). Surely a creative agency could come up with a more creative strategy to encourage donating rather than littering NYC with plastics during a climate emergency?
C&P NY,
On behalf of all decent people in the industry, thank you for your contribution in helping raising funds for our Koalas in need. Every bit counts. Fuck or the negative comments here. The trolls no doubt have done sweet FA. Their too self centred and more concerned about shooting down any decent money raising idea as a scamy award opportunity. I think your motive is genuine but if one piece of shit fake award metal means one koala gets help then I couldn’t care less. Thanks again.
I’ve done plenty without creating more landfill or PRing it. So there.
@TROLL,
Yet you feel the need to pollute the blog with negativity and mess with good peoples feelings when all they are doing is something good to raise money for us. Doesn’t get much lower than that. Very UnAustralian.
If we can’t even create good, meaningful work without fellow industry people bashing it then we are all doomed.
Well done Cummins. You’ve done well here, and for a great cause.
If that’s your definition of good and meaningful we are doomed.
I think the issue is with Cummins PRing themselves in the press, not the initiative itself.
It has an air of self congratulation about it.
Nice idea guys,I hope it raises lots of money
What he said.