To mark the culmination of GE’s multi-year transformation as three independent, publicly traded companies, GE is unveiling “Once, Now, Forever,” an integrated broadcast, print, digital and global drone show campaign that celebrates the April 2 launch of GE Aerospace and GE Vernova on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Launching almost exactly 133 years after GE was born, this campaign honors GE’s legacy of innovation as the foundation that will propel these three businesses forward as leaders in their respective industries, continuing to shape our future.
Starting with a :60 film premiering during the start of baseball season on March 28, “GE’s Opening Day” recounts America’s first-ever night game — a historic feat made possible through GE’s innovative technology of the time. Set in 1935, a time when baseball was exclusively played during the day, the film depicts how GE made history and lit up America’s first professional night baseball game. Juxtaposed against how GE changed the way we see the game forever, the film positions GE Aerospace and GE Vernova ready for their own opening day.
That night marked one of many “first-ever” achievements for GE, and its split into three companies is another monumental moment that paves a new path in the future of innovation.
“GE’s transformation into three independent public companies is a historic moment and one that deserves a celebration as big and innovative as the companies themselves,” said Linda Boff, CMO of GE. “GE not only changed the way we see the game of baseball but ultimately the way we see the world. And now, at the start of this next chapter, we wanted to celebrate how GE’s legacy of innovation will continue to shape our future through these independent companies. Our drone show takes to the sky above two continents to showcase our three GE companies, painting on the largest possible canvas to tell the story of these industry leaders and their global impact.”
“We've partnered with GE for over a decade, and the playbook has remained constant – create marketing as innovative as its business,” said Trevor Guthrie, cofounder of Giant Spoon. “This brief was especially monumental – as we mark the rebirth of a new GE and celebrate its legacy of innovation across 132 years. Blending strategy, media and creative, we’ve crafted a moment in culture to fully celebrate GE’s role in changing the game, and its role in shaping the future as we know it. With every moment, every asset, we went deep into the details, from easter eggs in the film to surprise and delight moments in our presence at NYSE, and more – it was key to communicate the vastness of the brand, and the care and intention behind its products and its future through GE Vernova, GE Aerospace and GE HealthCare.”
The film features clever easter eggs nodding to GE’s company history throughout, including voiceover from actress and filmmaker Elizabeth Banks (whose father is a 40-year GE retiree), two GE-inspired team jerseys, T.E. for GE’s historic founder and the “Generals” — with its pitcher wearing #2, a subtle reference to the two companies that will launch on the NYSE, GE Vernova and GE Aerospace.
Just after Opening Day Weekend, on April 1, the night before GE Vernova and GE Aerospace’s Listing Day on the NYSE, the New York City skyline will be illuminated with a 1,000-drone show that illustrates a future shaped by GE HealthCare, GE Vernova and GE Aerospace. Built as a mixed-media spectacle, and soaring 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty, the show will combine drones with an accompanying soundtrack.
On Listing Day, Tuesday, April 2, GE will have a dual presence in Bangalore, India and on Wall Street outside the New York Stock Exchange. In Bangalore, the drone show will launch from the GE Research campus. An installation of a larger-than-life storybook – over 30 feet long and 13 feet tall – will accompany the show, creating the illusion of the drones taking off from its pages. At the NYSE, a split banner will be featured on the facade while a co-branded coffee cart will offer the public and passersby free cups of GE Aerospace “Jet Fuel” coffee and GE Vernova “Electric Green” tea to enjoy while they take in the spectacle of Listing Day. GE Aerospace will continue under the GE ticker (GE), while GE Vernova will trade under the ticker symbol GEV.
April 2 also marks the launch of GE’s global print campaign across the US, UK, France, Saudi Arabia, UAE, China, Singapore, and India. With bold typography declaring “We Are Go” for GE Aerospace and “It’s On” for GE Vernova, the print honors GE’s brand promise of a bolder, brighter future and its renewed focus through each independent company’s focus.
About GE
GE (NYSE:GE) rises to the challenge of building a world that works. For more than 130 years, GE has invented the future of industry, and today the company’s dedicated team, leading technology, and global reach and capabilities help the world work more efficiently, reliably, and safely. GE’s people are diverse and dedicated, operating with the highest level of integrity and focus to fulfill GE’s mission and deliver for its customers. www.ge.com
About GE Vernova
GE Vernova is a planned, purpose-built global energy company that includes Power, Wind, and Electrification businesses and is supported by its accelerator businesses of Advanced Research, Consulting Services, and Financial Services. Building on over 130 years of experience tackling the world’s challenges, GE Vernova is uniquely positioned to help lead the energy transition by continuing to electrify the world while simultaneously working to decarbonize it. GE Vernova helps customers power economies and deliver electricity that is vital to health, safety, security, and improved quality of life. GE Vernova is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., with more than 80,000 employees across 100+ countries around the world.
GE Vernova’s mission is embedded in its name – it retains its legacy, “GE,” as an enduring and hard-earned badge of quality and ingenuity. “Ver” / “verde” signal Earth’s verdant and lush ecosystems. “Nova,” from the Latin “novus,” nods to a new, innovative era of lower carbon energy. Supported by the Company Purpose, The Energy to Change the World, GE Vernova will help deliver a more affordable, reliable, sustainable, and secure energy future. Learn more: GE Vernova and LinkedIn.
About GE Aerospace
GE Aerospace is a global aerospace propulsion, services, and systems leader with an installed base of approximately 44,000 commercial and 26,000 military aircraft engines. With a global team of 52,000 employees building on more than a century of innovation and learning, GE Aerospace is committed to inventing the future of flight, lifting people up, and bringing them home safely. Learn more about how GE Aerospace and its partners are defining flight for today, tomorrow and the future at www.geaerospace.com.
