Though Dr. Carrier’s invention changed the world in dramatic ways, public acknowledgement of his discovery was minimal. To rectify the problem, CooperKatz developed a three-pronged public relations program.
The campaign started with a fun ‘father of cool’ Web site promotion that positioned Dr. Carrier as the ultimate ‘cool dad’ on Father’s Day. Pre-publicity built over several weeks with feature stories in magazines and newspapers, including Reader’s Digest, USA Weekend, Newsday and dozens of local market papers. Then on anniversary day, July 17, the floodgates opened with ‘hits’ on “Good Morning America,” “CBS Early Show,” “FOX & Friends,” “CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood,” “ABC Nightly News” and hundreds of local TV stations across the nation. David Letterman did an air conditioning ‘top ten,’ and Reuters and CNN International fed the story around the globe.
In Brooklyn, where Dr. Carrier first applied his invention, CooperKatz worked with the New York City Board of Education to create a lasting tribute: The Willis H. Carrier Academy at Grady High School. The Academy was introduced to parents, students, government leaders and the media at a dedication ceremony featuring Schools Chancellor Harold O. Levy and an ice-sculptured portrait of Willis Carrier. In total the anniversary campaign generated over a half billion audience impressions.
