FirstMerit Bank and Total Outdoor Launch "Blue Shirt Campaign" to Honor Detroit Nonprofits

AKRON, Ohio, June 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstMerit Corporation (Nasdaq: FMER), a leading financial institution, today announced its partnership with Total Outdoor, an outdoor advertising company, and Ignition Media Group, a full service integrated marketing and communications agency, to launch a campaign that pays homage to five Detroit-based nonprofit organizations that make it their mission to better the lives of Detroiters. Coined the "Blue Shirt Campaign," the large-scale outdoor billboard displays began to be installed on Wednesday, June 18, 2014. 

"As an active member of the metro Detroit community, FirstMerit Bank is proud to recognize those who have donated their time, effort and skills to changing lives and improving the city," said Sandy Pierce, vice chairman of FirstMerit Corporation and chairman and CEO of FirstMerit Michigan. "We believe that investing in and showcasing the work of local philanthropic organizations helps to build healthy, vibrant communities."

Five local nonprofits were chosen as the focal point of the campaign: the Belle Isle Conservancy; Detroit PAL (PAL); Michigan Science Center (MiSci), Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA); and The Skillman Foundation (Skillman). The campaign features outdoor advertising dedicated to one pre-selected volunteer or staff member per organization, who serves as an example of the often-overlooked "doers" that bring value to the nonprofits with which they pledge their time. Each mural boasts the same driving message: "Dedication to Detroit Merits Recognition." Representatives of the nonprofits include: Ethan Vinson of the Belle Isle Conservancy; Deandra Moss, 20-year volunteer for PAL; Kevin Farmer, Oakland University student volunteer at MiSci; Vinnie Massimino, communications employee at the DIA; and Stepha'N Quicksey, youth advisor for Skillman. Each mural also urges viewers to visit firstmerit.com/blueshirt to learn more about each organization and how to get involved.

"The Michigan Science Center is tremendously humbled by this generous show of recognition and gratitude," said Kerri Budde, Senior Marketing Manager at MiSci. "Our first and most important purpose is to make STEM learning accessible to children of all ages, and we could not accomplish this without the support of the community and those invested in enriching the community."

The "Blue Shirt Campaign" is intended to be simplistic but powerful, the photos symbolizing the work that these subjects do as being modest in nature, yet powerful in sum.  Each urban philanthropist is outfitted in the same attire, a blue t-shirt, and denim jeans, ensuring the focus is on the person and the nonprofit. Total Outdoor donated the space on the buildings, Ignition Media Group brainstormed the concept, and FirstMerit selected the nonprofits and commissioned the creative and placement.

"We are thrilled to be able to afford these strong community partners the opportunity for additional exposure in recognition of the work they do on the ground in Detroit every day," said Tom McCarver, Senior Vice President Real Estate and Development at Total Outdoor. "Our team is confident that this will serve as a great example of the power of outdoor advertising."

About FirstMerit
FirstMerit Corporation is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Akron, Ohio, with assets of approximately $24.5 billion as of March 31, 2014, and 401 banking offices and 429 ATM locations in Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. FirstMerit provides a complete range of banking and other financial services to consumers and businesses through its core operations. Principal affiliates include: FirstMerit Bank, N.A., FirstMerit Mortgage Corporation and FirstMerit Title Agency, Ltd.

About Total Outdoor
Total Outdoor is headquartered in Seattle, WA with digital and traditional large-format sign inventory in several top markets. In addition to the Detroit market, where the company has had a presence since 2005, Total Outdoor has billboard inventory in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, Portland, and Miami. Total Outdoor, and its asset base, was established in 2004. 

About Ignition Media Group
Ignition Media Group (Ignition) is a boutique integrated marketing and communications agency that specializes in connecting brands to culture. Headquartered in downtown Detroit, the firm was founded by longtime marketing professional Dennis Archer, Jr. Ignition is rooted in the notion that that there is rarely only one communication solution, thus a multi-pronged, holistic approach is applied to every client engagement. The firm offers its clients a wide range of services including: integrated marketing campaign development, strategic communications, digital content distribution, event curation and activation, lifestyle/influencer consultation and strategic matchmaking. For more information, visit www.ignitionmediagroup.com.

Media Contacts
Katy Cockrel, Ignition Media Group
Phone: 313.496.1900
Email: [email protected]

Rob Townsend, FirstMerit Corporation
Phone: 330.384.7075
Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE FirstMerit Corporation