Stafford Air and Space Museum Selects RPM Advertising As Agency of Record

RPM announced today that the Stafford Air & Space Museum in Weatherford, Oklahoma has named RPM Advertising in Chicago as its full scope agency of record. Founded in 1981 by legendary astronaut Lt. General Thomas P. Stafford, the museum was selected to be an official Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution in 2011.

“Developing an aerospace museum of national importance in western Oklahoma is a major marketing challenge,” according to Max Ary, director of the museum. “It requires a national-based marketing perspective that we haven’t had before. RPM Advertising offers this level of marketing expertise along with the kind of enthusiasm and experience that we need to connect to potential visitors who pass by our entrance on Route 66 everyday.”

General Stafford added, “RPM has clearly demonstrated its knowledge of the aerospace industry. I’m confident that we’ll be in good hands with a team that has a history of a decade-long marketing partnership with the natural history museum in Chicago. The agency has already stepped up to the plate with innovative ideas to put the Stafford in the national spotlight.”

The Stafford Air & Space Museum houses one of the finest collections of aviation and space flight exhibits in the Central United States including the Apollo 10 spacesuit worn by General Stafford on his historic mission to the Moon in 1969. Wearing this suit during Apollo 10’s return from the Moon, Stafford and crew set the record for the fastest speed a human has ever achieved – 24,791 statute miles per hour. A V-2 Rocket Engine, one of the only remaining V-2 rocket engines left in existence, is one of the rare artifacts featured. The V-2 technology established the foundation for America’s space program and its future journey to landing a man on the Moon in 1969.

The museum has one of the only indoor exhibits of an actual Titan II Rocket, an actual rocket that was originally developed by the Air Force as an intercontinental Ballistic Missile with the capability of carrying large nuclear warheads. NASA then determined that it would be the perfect booster to launch the Gemini spacecraft into Earth’s orbit. Stafford rode two of these rockets during his Gemini 6 and 9 missions. The museum’s 40,000 square feet of exhibit space features extraordinary artifacts representing the history of aviation and manned space flight. The museum opened in 1981 with a simple display case in the airport terminal and has grown to become the premier cultural attraction with the most outstanding collection of aerospace artifacts in the Southwestern United States.

General Stafford is a legendary astronaut, aviation pioneer and hometown hero as he was born and raised in Weatherford, Oklahoma. Stafford was selected by NASA in September 1962 to participate in Projects Gemini and Apollo. He was named Commander of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Mission July 15-24, 1975 – a joint space flight culminating in the historic first meeting in space between American astronaut Thomas Stafford and Soviet cosmonaut Alexey Leonov. Many historians now site this mission as the beginning to the end of the Cold War. Stafford was presented with the Russian Medal “For Merit in Space Exploration” for outstanding contribution to the development of international cooperation in manned space flight. He also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Society of Experimental Test Pilots James H. Doolittle Award, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal to name just a few among his numerous other awards.

A grand celebration is planned to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project at the Stafford Air & Space Museum on June 8, 2015. Apollo astronauts from across the country are expected to attend the gala that will pay tribute to the last of the Apollo missions.

Located steps away from the start of Route 66 in Chicago, RPM Advertising creates momentum for Client-Partners in highly competitive consumer markets including luxury transportation, retail, food and beverage, entertainment and hospitality. Founded in 1994 by Steve Platcow of Lake Forest and Mark Malin of Chicago, the agency was created out of the simple proposition that talent, innovation and relentless hard work would produce a better advertising agency. That inspiration continues to deliver superior strategic thinking, resourceful media management, award-winning creative and an unparalleled responsiveness to our client partners. Rodi Platcow Malin Advertising, Inc. (DBA) RPM Advertising, Inc. is headquartered in Chicago with offices in Detroit, Las Vegas, Miami and Milwaukee. The main office is located at 222 S. Morgan Street, Chicago, IL 60607. Visit www.rpmadv.com for more information.

For more information about The Stafford Air & Space Museum, visit www.staffordmuseum.org or phone 580-772-5871. The museum is located at 3000 Logan Rd. at I-40 & Exit 84 in Weatherford, OK, 73096. Museum hours are Monday – Saturday 9 am – 5 pm. The museum is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Caption

Apollo Gallery – In stunning condition, the flown Apollo 10 spacesuit was worn by General Stafford on his historic mission to the moon in 1969. Wearing this suit, Apollo 10 and its crew set the record for the fastest speed a human has ever achieved – 24,791 mph- a record that will not be broken until a mission returns from Mars.

© Stafford Air & Space Museum