PB&, Visit Seattle address book ban in latest #Bookmarked videos – Marketing Communications News

Visit Seattle, a nonprofit marketing organization that promotes tourism and travel, will focus on banned books by local authors in the final three #SeattleBookmarked videos. This is part of its program on VISITSEATTLE.tv that showcases local culture such as music, film, art and literary events to give people new reasons to visit. The series was created by the advertising agency PB& and produced by Atlantic Re:think. The videos will also be streamed live on VisitSeattle.tv.

Each short episode is brought to life through beautifully edited Seattle footage and a reading by a well-known Seattleite. The texts of banned books by local authors Jewell Parker Rhodes (Ghost Boys), Shawn David Hutchinson (Brave Face) and Jonathan Eviason (Lawn Boy) are narrated by local celebrities: writer/LGBTQ+ activist Dan Savage, actor Jeremy Rudd and artist/activist Angelina Villalobos. “In Seattle, your story matters,” is the tagline.

The three episodes will air weekly starting September 3 through Banned Books Week (September 22-28). Visit Seattle will also host a session on current book bans and free speech at the Atlantic Festival on September 20. The Atlantic will also distribute the video series through its own media channels, including social media and its website.

In 2023, the American Library Association reported a record number of attempts to ban books, most of which were written by or about members of the LGBTQ+ community and people of color. Seattle is a UNESCO City of Literature; a city that prides itself on promoting intellectual freedom and celebrating diverse voices rather than censoring them.

This was an opportunity to strengthen Seattle's legacy as one of the most welcoming cities And appeal to a group of travelers that PB& calls “adventure culturists.” These influential travelers gravitate toward lesser-known destinations, are drawn to intellectually stimulating things, and like to know a little about a lot rather than a lot about a little. They also have an insatiable love of literature: they are 200% more likely to be in book clubs and 40% more likely to read books at least twice a week.

“Books and travel take people to unknown places and bring us closer to new cultures and ideas,” added Brit Fero, founder of PB&. “Freedom of travel and freedom of expression therefore go hand in hand. Seattle is a city that values ​​that.”

Seattle is one of only three U.S. cities that has opened its library collections to all regions of the country, allowing anyone to access banned books.

source: PB&

Atlantic Re:think, Banned Books Week, Marketing, PB&, The Atlantic Festival, Visit Seattle