Cornett Debuts Ambitious "Here For It" Local Journalism Campaign With Gannett

Aug. 11, 2022

Gannett, the largest U.S. newspaper publisher as measured by total daily circulation, is launching an ambitious brand campaign to promote local journalism in three of its largest markets: Nashville, Austin and Phoenix.

The "Here For It" campaign, running now through October 2022, was produced in collaboration with Lexington, Kentucky-based ad agency Cornett to boost awareness of The Tennessean, Austin American-Statesman and azcentral.com | The Arizona Republic properties and the unique value they provide their local communities.

With both shared and market-specific executions, the "Here For It" campaign aims to create a rallying cry for local pride and engagement while demonstrating how local journalism facilitates real-world connections, clarifying complex problems and serving as a catalyst for change.

A :30 hero video was created specifically for each market starring local journalists to tee up the core mission driving the overall campaign: In this age of constant distraction, we should all be more present, engaged and involved in the place we call home.

Localized out-of-home (OOH) placements and targeted social ads seek to turn heads with bold copy and market-specific cultural references.

“We can fight injustice. You're on your own with the party buses,” says a Nashville placement, a nod to the traffic-snarling vehicles driving locals crazy.

"‘Pull that up, Jamie doesn’t count as journalism. / Journalism by journalists. Not comedians," reads an Austin OOH pairing, a reference to influential but untrained online personalities.

Another pairing in Phoenix jokes "Watchdog journalism takes a special breed. / Woof woof."

A host of other assets and activations round out a campaign strategy designed to resonate with each target market and energize a traditionally stoic industry with humor and bravado.

Gus Murillo, Director of Local Brand Marketing at Gannett said:

"The phrase "Here For It" is used to express enthusiasm and support. Not only does the tagline connect with our consumer, it also provides a platform for us to communicate our purpose and our value, touching on all of the ways local journalism helps create a better home. But most importantly, it underscores the one thing that makes local journalism different…that we are here. We live here, we work here, and we love this place we call home, and we’re committed to making it the best it can be."