Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Capt. James Lovell Salutes Literacy

This recurring series spotlights the Literacy ad series I ran while at Lerner Newspapers.

I always thought the NIE ad series was out of this world, but I was never more accurate than when Capt. James Lovell appeared in the ad series.  Lovell helped propel the ads into another stratosphere.   . 
Okay, I'll stop the bad jokes (for now).  Actually, Capt. Lovell was our most serious celebrity to appear in the series.  He was the first of only three people to fly to the moon twice and the first American to fly into space four times.
I contacted Lovell through Lovell's, the restaurant he owns in Lake Forest (IL).   He quickly got on board and our graphics department produced a beautiful ad, which also advertised Lovell's book, Lost Moon.
I was really proud of this ad. While I had previously gotten a pretty impressive selection of local celebrities, Capt. Lovell was truly a historic figure and there he was in my NIE ad in Lerner Newspapers.
Each of the celebrity spokespeople in these ads was special.  Each was chosen for specific reasons and believe it or not, I actually turned down a few celebrities who I didn't think were a good fit.  For the previously stated reasons, Lovell holds a very special place in my mind.

The world and its adventures are expanded when you are literate.  Through books you can explore all sorts of exotic places; even the moon without leaving the comfort of your armchair.
--Capt. James Lovell as quoted in the NIE ad series in 2004

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