EARTH UNIVERSITY: EARTH PLANTS THE FUTURE

Credits & Description:

Category: Corporate Responsibility

Advertiser: EARTH UNIVERSITY

Product/Service: ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Chief Executive Officer: Carmen Mayela Fallas (Comunicación Corporativa Ketchum)

Partner Account Director: Marcela Alfaro (Comunicación Corporativa Ketchum)

Senior Account Executive: Cynthia Castillo (Comunicación Corporativa Ketchum)

Senior Account Executive: Olman López (Comunicación Corporativa Ketchum)

Junior Account Executive: Jackeline Jiménez (Comunicación Corporativa Ketchum)

Junior Account Executive: Ana María Alvarez (Comunicación Corporativa Ketchum)

Media placement: Social Network - Facebook, Twitter, website - March 1st, 2010

Media placement: On-line Conferences - Ustream/Skype - March 1st, 2010

Media placement: Sponsorships and alliances - Costa Rica companies - March 1st, 2010

Media placement: Press Releases - National and International media - March 5, 2010

Media placement: Internal Anniversary Celebration - EARTH University Campus - March 26, 2010

Media placement: Live Broadcast - EARTH University Campus - June 5, 2010

Media placement: Media Visits - National and International media - April, 1st



Summary of the Campaign

Earth University, founded in 1986, is an international institution devoted to the formation of professionals in agricultural engineering with emphasis on sustainable development.



The Challenge: Underscore Earth University’s leadership in environmental sustainability as a key component in the celebration of its 20th Anniversary.

The objective: To increase awareness about Earth University through the celebration of its 20th Anniversary.



The strategy: To create a tree planting project. 'Earth Plants the Future' oriented to simultaneous planting of 200,000 trees, in 26 countries, on June 5, 2010 (World Environment Day) and contributes to mitigate climate change.



'Earth Plants the Future' was implemented through the collaboration of hundreds of people around the world, including Earth’s graduates, donors, sponsors and allies that volunteered to make this dream possible. The project was promoted mainly through social networks and a website with a virtual forest, mailing lists, media relations and media announcements.



The number of trees planted exceed almost six times the propose goal: 1,195,371 trees planted the same day in 34 countries. The event was broadcast by CNN International News Network. In Costa Rica, president of the country, Laura Chinchilla attended the main planting event at Earth’s campus that day.



The Situation

Earth University is a non-profit private international institution founded in 1986 in Costa Rica. This academic institution aims for students to become professionals in agricultural engineering, with a mission in leadership, environmental consciousness, and social development.



In 2007 Earth reached its goal of becoming carbon neutral, becoming the first campus in Costa Rica to have net zero CO2 emissions.



In 2010 EARTH University celebrated its 20th Anniversary and established the challenge of carrying out a highly visible action in order to project itself worldwide as a leading institution in environmental sustainability, with the participation of alumni, donors and friends.



The Goal

Institutional Objectives:

• To contribute to mitigate climate change.

• To involve graduates, friends, corporations and donors of Earth University in the 20th Anniversary celebration.



The Project’s Objective:

• Simultaneously plant 200,000 trees in 26 countries.



Communications Objectives:

• Raise awareness about Earth University in its 20th Anniversary.

• Generate positive press coverage in local and international media with regard to Earth University, its 20th Anniversary and, its alumni impact.



The Strategy

To create a tree planting project: 'Earth Plants the Future' oriented to simultaneous planting of 200,000 trees, in 26 countries, on June 5, 2010 (World Environment Day) and contribute to mitigate climate change.



The project was developed to carry out specific actions to curb global warming and inspire the world to act on behalf of conservation and the rational use of resources. This initiative was led from Earth main campus in Guácimo, Limón, Costa Rica in coordination with the institution’s alumni in other countries.



'Earth Plants the Future' targeted diverse audiences with specifically designed messages for each: potential donors (individuals, organizations and governments) and citizens were asked to stop global warming and curbing greenhouse gas emissions by planting trees and create consciousness.



Execution

a) Launch the 'Earth Plants the Future' idea



b) Activation of social networks: Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube and Wikipedia.



c) Launching of the website www.earthplantsthefuture.org: including a virtual forest that allowed visitors to purchase real trees and also estimated there carbon footprint.



d) Visit to media: Meetings of University President with national and international key media directors and editors.



e) Media strategy: Design and implementation of a media strategy that included key messages, Q&A, spokesperson training, press kit, press releases, one on one interviews and media public announcement material.



f) Internal anniversary celebration: March 26th marked the anniversary celebrated internally.



g) Sponsorships and alliances pursue: Through a fundraising campaign, private companies sponsored the project.



h) On-line conferences: On-line conferences with the alumni for coordination purposes.



i) Live broadcast: On June 5th the tree-planting event was broadcast live on the Internet.



Documented Results

The number of trees planted on June 5th, as part of 'Earth Plants the Future' project were almost six times the projected figure (200,000), having planted 1,195,371 trees.



The number of countries participating in the simultaneously tree planting were 34 countries exceeding the original goal (26) by 8 countries.



Thanks to the sponsorship of CNN International, media announcements were run on this network and reached more than 151,200 families in Latin America.



In Costa Rica, the participation of the President of the Republic was achieved during the tree-planting event in Guácimo.



Outcome in numbers:

Trees planted: 1,195,371

Countries united: 34

Sponsors: 28

Allies: 65

Facebook fans: 5,836

Twitter followers: 513

Publications in Costa Rica: 89 (approximately $118,784)

Publications in other countries: 46 (approximately $21,910)

Media announcements coverage: 151.200 families in Latin America

Number of persons added to the data base: 3,256