Community Corner

JDRF Rebranding, Appearing on AMC's 'The Pitch' Sunday

Two ad agencies will vie for JDRF's national ad campaign.

Making a pitch has never been so intense. (formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) is rebranding because so many people are being diagnosed with diabetes as adults. JDRF doesn't want to be pigeonholed as just helping fund research for kids afflicted with the disease. And, with the rebranding, JDRF needs an new ad campaign. That's where "The Pitch" comes in. 

"The Pitch" is a series on AMC, which offers viewers a glimpse inside America's top advertising agencies. In each episode, two agencies compete head-to-head to "win" a new client. Each team has only one week to prepare, and Sunday's episode features two pitches to JDRF for a new national ad campaign.

Marie Davis, executive director of JDRF Metro Saint Louis/Greater Missouri Chapter, said that JDRF had to "pitch" its own pitch to the show's producers in New York. The New York chapter will appear in the episode, which will run Sunday after "Mad Men." 

Find out what's happening in Sunset Hills-Crestwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I don't even know that they are going to be accepted by us (the winning pitch)," Davis said. "They are just pitching an idea, it doesn't mean we are going to accept it. JDRF has never had a national ad firm. For us to really reach out there and say it's something we want to do, that's what's exciting about the show."

Davis sites the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Research Foundation as a brand JDRF aspires to be, due to their national branding.

Find out what's happening in Sunset Hills-Crestwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Everyone knows what Komen is because they brand themselves so well. How do we do that? How do we brand that well? I want to see it," she said. "To me it will be very exciting to see how these two major ad/pr firms pitch to us. How does one see us doing our rebranding versus the other one? JDRF so rarely gets exposure on TV, and we have a whole hour."

 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Sunset Hills-Crestwood