An advertising company is highlighting Israeli children kidnapped by Hamas. Jonathan Gonzalez reports for the NBC 4 News on Oct. 20, 2023.
Take a drive along certain Los Angeles-area freeways and you may notice a new type of advertising campaign on the digital billboards, though this one is not trying to sell any products.
The campaign is called “Let My People Go." It's aimed at raising awareness about Israeli children who have been reportedly kidnapped by Hamas.
“When you hear of a toddler, an infant being kidnapped, how can you not kind of feel a certain way?” asked Rob Engelson, co-founder of LA-based Black Llama Advertising.
Engelson said they were approached by the pro-Israel nonprofit organization LoveisReal, which approached the ad agency just this week about creating a campaign to raise awareness about the kidnappings.
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“‘Let My People Go’ is kind of the real first priority of the campaign,” Engelson said. “So. really showcasing the horrible acts of, you know, kidnaping Israeli children. Like, we're talking infants, toddlers, 2-year-old, 3-year-olds, so really getting that message out there.”
The second priority was creating a campaign calling attention to the rise of antisemitism in Los Angeles and across the country.
“Be ‘Pro-Semitic’ — something a little unique, a little different. ‘Pro’ is capitalized,” Engelson explained. “It's something that I think will leave people with a little bit of intrigue and also thought of like, you know what, at this time, like, I think we can all rally around something that's not negative.”
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The campaign is a first for Black Llama, which decided to take on the job pro bono. The agency said billboard vendors offered them cost savings when they heard what the campaign was all about.
“When I think about it, like nobody is thinking about, 'Well, where's my cut or where’s my gain in this?',” Engelsaid said. “It's really about just utilizing every resource that me and my business partner Shervin have and really trying to get everyone involved to make a difference. That's that's really it. And it feels different. It feels so different this time."
The digital billboard ad campaign will soon extend to static billboards across the Los Angeles area.
They will also pop up in the next few weeks in Miami and New York City.
“This feels like a totally different world for us,” Engelson said. “Just to see, you know, everyone coming together. I can't even explain it in words, the feeling that it gives me and it will give people that I think see this message.”
