Mekanism Joins JWT to Boost Up the Fight to Stay in School
Mekanism recently teamed up with JWT New York to re-launch Boost UP, a nationwide campaign encouraging teens to stay in school. The website (www.BoostUp.org) allows users to give “boosts,” new media’s version of a shout-out, to any of the ten students spotlighted in the program’s class of 2008. Working with JWT, Mekanism handled all the creative and production of the new site as well as designing the graphic elements that were incorporated across the campaign.
With national high school drop out rates still near 30% and nearing 50% for certain demographics, Boost UP recognizes the significance of encouragement in helping students grasp the importance of education. 
This year their goal was to deliver that encouragement in a way that truly resonated with teens. The updated campaign targets all of today’s major teen-based communication outlets in helping the entire nation follow the progress of these at-risk high school students. The site also enables visitors to “boost” teens in their own lives who may also need a little encouragement to stay in school. The campaign, which targets both students and their parents, launches at the end of October and includes a series of :30 national spots, print ads, and the recently-revamped and fully-interactive website. The site is a consolidated hub of communication and support pulling across social networking sites and includes pictures and background on each teen, monthly video podcasts, and several outlets to track and provide support for their journey towards graduation.
The site has a youthful feel, designed to engage teens and make them feel both comfortable and informed. Leading the creative charge behind the site development was Mekanism Partner/ECD Ian Kovalik, as well as Producer Steve Muller and CD Emmet Feldman. Commenting on the process, Kovalik noted, “We wanted to create a site that was both easy and really fun to use, but that also incorporated technology that could track progress and encouragement in real time. We created a tool that literally builds encouragement-skyscrapers for each teen on the site, whether encouragement comes online, through email or text message, or on the teens MySpace or Facebook pages.”
Creds
Client: Boost UP
Agency: JWT, NY
Co-President/CCO: Ty Montague
ECD: Chris D’Rozario
CD: Robert Rasmussen
Digital CD: Seth Weisfeld
AD(s): Megan Penmann, Vikas Bhalla
Copywriter(s): Margie Chidley, Greg Matson
Producer: Brian Gonsar
Account Manager: Alex Morrison
Prod Co: Mekanism, SF
ECD: Ian Kovalik
CD: Emmett Feldman
EP: Jason Harris
Producer: Steve Muller
About Mekanism
Mekanism is a San Francisco based production studio housing film, animation & interactive content creators. We sprinkle our love of good storytelling on commercials, viral campaigns and branded entertainment to inspire measurable brand loyalty.
About Boost
Boost is an online community that helps teens build identity and get the support and encouragement to stay in school. The U.S. Army partnered with the Ad Council to develop a public service advertising campaign to motivate teens and demonstrate the importance of staying in school and obtaining a high school diploma.
For more info, ping TRUST: 646.452.3388 (NY) | 310.451.5153 (LA) | trustcollective.com
