TORONTO – Pay TV, radio and outdoor ad company Astral Media and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada today announced a partnership where Astral Media will donate more than $1 million in advertising space to the MS Society.
The pledge has been made to help draw attention to the MS Society’s work in funding research to end multiple sclerosis and to raise awareness of the most common neurological disease which affects many Canadians.
“We believe strongly in this campaign and are pleased to play a role in making it successful,” said Ian Greenberg, president and CEO of Astral Media, in a press release. “We are confident that the visibility offered through our various media platforms will help draw attention to this devastating disease which affects so many Canadian men, women and children. It is our goal to support MS researchers in finding the cause and cure to end MS.’’
The MS Society of Canada will use Astral Media’s extensive media properties (80-plus radio stations, an extensive network of outdoor media, web sites and some TV ad time) to promote its new endMS capital campaign. The objective of the campaign is to raise $60 million in support of MS research activities in Canada. The sponsored ads direct people to donate via www.endMS.ca.
“Astral Media has always been an outstanding corporate citizen and a long-time supporter of the Society. As such, we are excited to partner with them,” said Rick Waugh, president and CEO of Scotiabank and honourary chair of the endMS campaign. “Through this generous sponsorship package, we fully expect to enhance the profile of the MS cause and direct more funds to research.”
The ad campaign was launched earlier this month on Astral Media’s national network of 82 radio stations and more than 10 English- and French-language television networks. The endMS capital campaign is also featured on advertising faces across Ontario and Québec, as well as on a large number of Astral Media’s 70 web sites.
To view the endMS television spot: http://endms.ca/astral/endms_psa.html
To listen to the endMS radio spot: http://endms.ca/astral/endms_radio.html
To view endMS web ads: http://endms.ca/astral/endms_ad.html
To view endMS outdoor ads: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28406606@N06/2649786193
“On behalf of the 55,000 to 75,000 Canadians living with MS, I extend my gratitude to Astral Media and its employees,” said Yves Savoie, president and CEO of the MS Society. “We are truly grateful that they support our vision to end MS.”
