San Francisco Ad Campaign Touts Revival Before Economic Summit

$4 Million Ad Campaign Touted Ahead of Mayor’s Global Summit, Highlighting City’s Assets and Starpower

San Francisco launches a $4 million ad campaign titled 'It All Starts Here' aiming to showcase the city's resilience and innovation, and dismiss narratives of urban decay.
The campaign comes as the city prepares to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ summit in November, anticipating visits from President Biden, global business executives, and hundreds of foreign journalists.
The city's campaign, funded privately by business leaders, heavily features San Francisco's contributions to technology, culture, and innovation, with specific nods to the iPhone, Pixar Animation Studios, and iconic aspects of the city's history.
As San Francisco begins to show signs of recovery, with new businesses like IKEA opening downtown, city leaders hope to counteract negative publicity around public drug use, homelessness and theft, which led to major retailers leaving.
While San Francisco recognizes the challenges it faces, local leaders like Larry Baer, board co-chair of Advance SF overseeing the campaign, urge a change in narrative and an appreciation for the city's unique attributes and accomplishments.
Despite some liberties taken in the campaign ads, such as attributing headquarters of Apple and Pixar to the city, it focuses on the city's historical significance, like it being the birthplace of the modern waterbed.