WWF: EARTH HOUR 2010

Credits & Description:

Category: Best Use of Special Events and Stunt/Live Advertising

Advertiser: WWF

Product/Service: ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

Agency: DDB OSLO

Date of First Appearance: Mar 20 2010 12:00AM

Entrant Company: DDB OSLO, NORWAY

Art Director: Jens Petter Wærnes (DDB Oslo)

Copywriter: Tone Garman (DDB Oslo)

Account Director: Ester Conings (DDB Oslo)

Account Executive: Venke Lund (DDB Oslo)

Designer: Tommy Lybekk (DDB Oslo)

Film Director: David Reiss-Andersen (Pravda)

Film Producer: Erik Schøien (Pravda)

Offline Editor: Joakim Molteberg (Pravda)

Media placement: Stunt In Public - Concerthall & Theaters - 20.03.2010



Results and Effectiveness

Awareness: 85% of Norway’s population have knowledge of WWF´s Earth Hour (compared to 51% in 2009).
Involvement: 1.8 million people (46% of Norway’s population) participated.
Conclusion: "2010 is the most successful year in the history of Earth Hour. Both nationally and internationally." Ina Toften, Communications Officer WWF Norway.



Creative Execution

With a budget close to zero, we knew that the communication had to be sharp, effective and memorable. The costs of both production and implementation were kept at a minimum thanks to people donating their time and expertise for a good cause.

The sound file was recorded and played simultaneously with the tradition of having the lights being switched off before the start of a cultural event. The unusual combination of light and audio was activated in various high–frequented indoor locations such as theatres, operas, cabarets and concert halls in Norway.

In addition to the stunt, the campaign communicated through radio, print, viral and outdoor.



Insights, Strategy & the Idea

The communication objectives were to raise awareness, to make people act, as well as to reinforce Earth Hour as an important annual, global event.

The target audience is everyone who is somewhat engaged in politics and the global climate change issue. Studies show that a large part of the Norwegian population (from age 15+) is already aware of the fact that WWF is fighting global warming.

WWF´s Earth Hour is known for being the symbolic act of using the light switch as a symbol of signalling to the world’s leaders that we want serious action on climate change. The challenge was to motivate people that every big change can start with a small symbolic action.