Greenpeace: TOXIC TOURS

Credits & Description:

Type of entry: Best Integrated Promotional Campaign
Category: Best Integrated Campaign Led by Promotion and Activation
Advertiser: GREENPEACE MEXICO
Product/Service: AWARENESS OF MEXICAN RIVERS POLLUTION
Agency: CIRCUS DF Mexico City, MEXICO
Sound Editor: Armando Gudiño (El Taller)
Editor: Ivan España (El Taller)
Producer: Pablo Llaca (Cine Concepto)
Editor: Alexa Arloff (El Taller)
Programmer: Mariano Rivas (Circus Df)
Art Director: Martin Zeta (Circus Df)
Web Designer: Yanel Bottini (Circus Df)
Digital Producer: Zoe Pavon (Circus Df)
Producer: Mariana Rios (Circus Df)
Film Director: Christian Murguia (Cine Concepto)
Creative: Santiago Spinola (Circus Df)
Creative Director: Emiliano Rodriguez Nuesch (Circus Df)
Describe the brief from the client
Problem:
Today in Mexico, 70% of the rivers are polluted with chemicals.
Challenge:
Help Greenpeace raise awareness on this issue.
Objective:
Create a reaction in the public opinion and allow people to experience the problem first hand.

Promotion Development

We created a provocative initiative to generate curiosity and spark debate on the topic of pollution.
On World Tourism Day, we launched Toxic Tours, the first toxic travel agency.
We promoted toxic activities like snorkeling in oil and dead fish fishing.
We also invited people to participate in real educational tours and visit polluted rivers.


Results

In the first month, the campaign generated 216 media stories in national and international media.
The campaign was featured in the Reforma newspaper front cover.
The buzz was strong enough to put pressure on local and national authorities to publicly acknowledge the severity of the problem.
The story went around the world in more than 200 media stories.
International media personally came to take the tour to Mexico.
The campaign made its way to China, the country with the most polluted rivers in the world.
Total ROI equalled $1,037,660 dollars
Impacts 51,352,000 / Visits to website 175,420


Relevancy to Product/Service

The tours acted as an awareness and experiential platform and became an owned media in itself for Greenpeace. They were broadcast in Greenpeace social networks.
For Greenpeace it was an effective way of drawing the attention of a wider audience than the one normally interested in environmental campaigns.
Today the tours continue for anyone interested in the problem.
The smelly postcards became an unexpected form of direct protest to put pressure on politicians and authorities.
This mix of unusual promotional platforms became an effective way of turning an activist protest into a social and environmental debate.