KPU instructor Andrew Frank teamed up with the CFN to produce The Sound of Silence
For immediate release
March 28, 2013
KPU instructor teams up with the Coastal First Nations to launch “Sound of Silence” oil spill awareness campaign
(Metro Vancouver, BC) – Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) instructor Andrew Frank partnered with the Coastal First Nations (CFN) to produce and launch The Sound of Silence, an oil spill awareness television advertising campaign reminding British Columbians of the threats oil tankers pose to BC’s coastal waters, wildlife, and communities.
Frank, an environmental protection and applied communications instructor, produced the campaign ad and media relations strategy through his public relations company Andrew Frank Communications. A two-minute video features the music of Paul Simon. The campaign went viral on March 24, 2013 – marking the 24th anniversary of the tragic Exxon Valdez Oil spill in Alaska. Produced on a shoe string budget, the video has produced hundreds of thousands of dollars of earned media.
“It was an honour and privilege to produce and launch this important new ad campaign with the Coastal First Nations,” said Frank. “The public and media response has been overwhelming, and angel investors have since stepped forward to expand the campaign into new media markets in BC.”
The Sound of Silence is a response to the controversial Enbridge project that is continuously working to gain public support for the Northern Gateway Pipeline. Through television and social media, The Sound of Silence has gone viral and is shaping public conversation around pipelines and tankers in British Columbia. Featured in the Globe and Mail and elsewhere as a successful public relations campaign, the campaign has appeared on CBC’s The National, Global TV, CTV, CityTV, Globe and Mail, Vancouver Sun, The Province, Calgary Herald, Victoria Times Colonist, Ottawa Citizen, Edmonton Journal, Metro, 24 Hours, News 1130, CKNW and more.
“This story shows the power and importance of environmental communication in building and shaping public discussion and opinion around important issues facing our province,” said Frank. “These are the kinds of practical success stories that I like to bring into the classroom and share and analyze with my students.”
The Sound of Silence is an example of the kinds of projects and skills students enrolled in KPU’s public relations and applied communications programs learn. KPU’s public relations and applied communications courses teach students how to become adept at analyzing context, message, audience, and purpose—the foundation of effective communication. Students are exposed to technology now essential in the production of business, professional, and technical communication, from word processing to computerized slide presentations. For more information about these programs visit, kwantlen.ca/business.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University has been serving the Metro Vancouver region for 30 years, and has opened doors to success for more than 250,000 people. Four campuses—Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley—offer a comprehensive range of sought-after programs, including business, liberal arts, science, design, health, trades and technology, apprenticeships, horticulture, and academic and career advancement. Over 18,000 students annually have a choice from over 200 programs, including bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates and citations.
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For more information about this project, contact:
Andrew Frank
Instructor, Applied Communications
andrew.frank@kwantlen.ca
For more information about KPU, contact:
Cara Johnson
Media Specialist
Tel: 604.598.6196
cara.johnson@kwantlen.ca