• by Larissa Faw , October 17, 2016

Singer James Taylor has sold one of his guitars to mobilize support to elect a governor who will repeal North Carolina’s anti-transgender“ Bathroom Bill,” a.k.a HB 2.

Writers for a Progressive North Carolina -- a statewide association of over 140 North Carolina authors, songwriters and journalists including Taylor, Hodding Carter, Bland Simpson, Jill McCorkle, and Allan Gurganus -- and agency BooneOakley are celebrating NC governor Pat McCrory's 60th birthday with a full-page ad in the state capital's newspaper Raleigh News & Observer.

The creative tweaks the HB2 bill with the headline "HB 2 U, Pat" to replace HB 2 with "Happy Birthday to" and the cake's rainbow colors standing for LGBTQ pride. Lastly, the single candle rising from the cake's middle serves as a not-so-subtle gesture, says the agency. In less oblique terms, the ad urges voters to support candidates who will repeal Mr. McCrory’s bill.

The ad is supported with banner advertising on statewide news sites as well as paid and owned media via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

While BooneOakley doesn’t typically wade into political advertising, the NC-based agency did develop an Obama campaign in 2008 as well as a “Kerry licks Bush” ad in 2004.