Dallas-based advertising agency Richards/Lerma is spearheading a campaign that changes the tone of the immigration debate by reminding people about The Golden Rule. In a time when the debate around immigration has turned increasingly divisive, an adage as elementary as The Golden Rule is bringing civic, business and religious groups together in North Texas. The #BEGOLDEN campaign, which is being launched this week throughout the region, is aimed at fostering goodwill toward one another, especially immigrants, through awareness and education.
Richards/Lerma has partnered with Belo Media Group, The Dallas Morning News, and the Catholic Diocese of Dallas to launch the community-wide interfaith campaign. In order to make that happen, agency Head of Art/Creative Director Rodrigo Maycotte knew that messaging needed to resonate with a diverse audience.
“The beauty behind The Golden Rule is that it is universal, there’s a form of it across the many cultures and religions spanning thousands of years. That’s why we’re excited to see representatives from the Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities coming together to support #BEGOLDEN. It is uniting groups that one would think don’t come together very often,” said Maycotte.
#BEGOLDEN seeks to turn the region into a beacon of inclusivity, empathy and civility. Through “Golden Facts,” video testimonials, and immigration-related resources, #BEGOLDEN aims to dispel misinformation and encourages people to gain a better understanding of why immigrants fled their homelands to come to this country, and how we can all work to treat these residents with more dignity and kindness.
“This isn’t a political or legal issue, it’s a human and moral issue,” said Pete Lerma, founder and principal of Richards/Lerma about the message he wants #BEGOLDEN to communicate. “It’s a simple message that helps us be kinder to one another.”
Throughout this year, the #BEGOLDEN campaign will introduce interactive experiences, social and digital content, influencer outreach, and public events, which will be highlighted at begoldenjourney.com, and across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram through @BeGoldenJourney.
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About Richards/Lerma
Richards/Lerma is a full-service branding and creative agency dedicated to crafting insightful and relevant communications for the Hispanic market. Based in Dallas, Richards/Lerma was founded by Pete Lerma and Stan Richards, creative director of the nation’s largest independent branding agency, The Richards Group. Current clients include Advance Auto Parts, Avocados From Mexico, Cinemark, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, MetroPCS, and The Home Depot. Richards/Lerma can be found online at richardslerma.com and on Twitter at @richardslerma.
About #BEGolden
The #BEGOLDEN campaign is a city-wide interfaith, civic, social and corporate journey; a rallying cry for our community to unite under The Golden Rule and remember to practice it every day, especially with immigrants, who tend to be amongst the most vulnerable groups in the country. It’s been extremely surprising and encouraging to see how many civic leaders, businesses, corporations, and faith leaders (Jewish, Muslim and Christian) have put aside their differences to unite in support for this campaign. We feel that it might be an indicator of people’s desire to step away from the current rhetoric, which has turned increasingly divisive and politicized, and approach things from a more empathetic, civil point of view.
#BEGOLDEN will be a year-long initiative that will include ongoing events and initiatives throughout the city, with the goal of encouraging the community to practice “The Golden Rule,” while encouraging acceptance of others. The objective is to encourage our city to become a beacon of inclusivity, empathy and civility, especially when it comes to immigrants in our community and beyond.
