'It's Your Choice!' - The European Parliament launches the European Elections Campaign
The European Parliament today launched its communication campaign aimed at encouraging 375 million European voters to participate in the European Elections, which will be held in 27 Member States in June 2009. The choice facing European citizens is the main message of the institutional campaign. The European Parliament, in fact, is asking citizens questions such as: "How open should our borders be? What kind of energy do we need? How can we find a balance between family and work?" The answers, which will be given by citizens, place an emphasis on the fact that by voting in the European Elections the people will decide the direction which Europe will take in the years to come.
A Unique Campaign
For the first time, the European Elections are being publicised through a unique pan-European information campaign which shows voters the relevance of these elections for their personal lives.
During the launch of the campaign at the European Parliament in Brussels, Alejo Vidal Quadras and Mechtild Rothe, EP Vice Presidents, said the campaign was non-partisan and was intended to provoke debate.
"This campaign reflects the importance of the Parliament especially as a legislator which, during the past five years, has effectively decided the final compromise on a number of European laws," Vidal Quadras said.
While the campaign was being presented in Brussels, the European Parliament Office in Malta explained to journalists that the central themes had been adapted in all member states according to the needs of the national and regional context.
The Campaign and the themes chosen for Malta
Julian Vassallo, Head of the EP Office in Valletta, explained that the main themes on which the campaign would focus in Malta were energy, work and family life balance, immigration and the issue of standardisation.
The campaign would be making use of media such as radio, television, newspapers and the internet. The campaign would also use other means such as billboards, three-dimensional installations which will be places in prominent public spaces, as well as an interactive Choice Box through which people will be able to post recorded video messages that would be sent to Brussels.
The EP engages Scholz & Friends
The Scholz & Friends international network has been entrusted with its strategy and pan-European implementation. Scholz & Friends Malta/Content House Ltd is in charge of the national implementation in Malta.
"We are glad and proud to play a part in this campaign and to support the European Parliament and its information office in Valletta. European citizens have the choice to influence how things are going. That's what we want to reveal with this campaign", said Jesmond Bonello, Managing Director of S&F Malta/Content House Ltd. Content House Ltd is part of the Scholz & Friends network which is present with offices in 33 countries and Europe's leading network for orchestrated and creative communication.
Lutz Meyer, Partner Scholz & Friends Group and conductor of the campaign, said the 2009 European Elections campaign is for sure Europe's most complex communication campaign ever.
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