To celebrate the highly anticipated release of “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” the final film in Peter Jackson’s epic “The Hobbit” Trilogy, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation’s largest donor and volunteer-supported mentoring organization, has teamed up with Warner Bros. Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM) and New Line Cinema to inspire audiences to “Start Something Epic.”
The partnership was developed by LINK Entertainment Marketing, the leader in connecting brands with the emotional engagement delivered through the power and storytelling of entertainment.
The campaign launches on November 15th with television ads featuring scenes from the movie, as well as print media, encouraging audiences to “Start Something Epic” by either donating or volunteering.
In theaters December 17, 2014, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and the Company of Dwarves. Messages of growth, leadership and perseverance resonate throughout the film. With encouragement and support from Gandalf, Bilbo discovers his own depths courage and ingenuity — he just needed someone to help show him the way, and, when necessary, give him a push in the right direction. Their iconic friendship is emblematic of the relationship between an adult volunteer (“Big”) and a child (“Little”) enrolled in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. The similarities helped to inspire the tagline, “Whether you are Big or Little, Start Something Epic,” inviting audiences to become a Big Brother or Big Sister to a child in need.
“Big Brothers Big Sisters is thankful for the opportunity to work with Warner Bros., MGM and New Line, and with a film of this magnitude,” stated Pam Iorio, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “We hope the film’s message of leadership will inspire others to lead in their local communities by becoming mentors to children in need.”
For 110 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has impacted the lives of children by carefully pairing screened adult volunteers (“Bigs”) with children (“Littles”) in safe, one-to-one long-term mentoring matches. The organization provides mentors, mentees and parents ongoing professional support and guidance. Studies have shown that children enrolled in the program are more engaged in school, less likely to use drugs or alcohol, and have greater confidence and improved relationships with their peers, parents, and teachers.
