Hawaiʻi 2020 Census Campaign Wins a Gold Effie Award

The Kālaimoku Group, a Native Hawaiian-owned marketing agency based in Honolulu, was awarded a Gold Effie in the Government/Public Service category last week in New York City for its “2020 Census Campaign.”

The Effie Awards were launched in 1968 by the New York American Marketing Association as an awards program to honor the most effective advertising efforts. Now, the Effie Awards honor creative marketing done around the world.

The Kālaimoku Group’s historic music video “2020 Census This Is Me” also won a Northern California area Emmy® Award and two PELE Awards, which recognize excellence in advertising & design in Hawaiʻi. The video has garnered more than 1 million views on Facebook and Youtube since launching in early 2020.

The video showcased leading Native Hawaiian, Pacific Island musicians collaborating in covering the song “This Is Me” made famous by the motion picture “The Greatest Showman.” The project was recorded over several weeks on location in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Hawaiʻi.

“This Is Me” featured the talents of Amy Hanaiali’i Gillom, Lehua Kalima, Kalenakū, Raiatea Helm, Natalie Ai Kamauʻu, Mark Keali‘i Ho‘omalu (Kumu Hula) , Jerome & Tinifu Grey and many more representing the Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander community.

The Kālaimoku Group’s campaign was in conjunction with VMLY&R marketing firm. The music video was directed by Ruben Carrillo and Dawn Kaniaupio and produced by John Aeto, founder of the Kālaimoku Group.

“We are grateful to the team for executing such a wonderful piece of work that not only served as a call to action to participate in the 2020 Census but all Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander people to stand up together united,” Aeto said. “In times like these, unity is what is needed more than ever. “