WILDERNESS SOCIETY
–
CONNECTING WITH THE MAINSTREAM
THE PROBLEM
Australia’s ecosystems are in severe decline. We’re not just losing species but entire ecosystems (the reef, mangroves, bush and forests).
Yet we rely on ecosystem services - clean water, clean air, healthy soil etc - for our survival.
Like most green groups, The Wilderness Society has spent 40 years engaging greenies but largely failed to connect with the mainstream.
My challenge was to reposition the brand and relaunch it with a campaign to engage people in the need to protect our ecosystems.
THE SOLUTION
Rather than focus on protecting charismatic species (pandas, whales, tigers…), like most green groups do, we focused on all the other vital parts of ecosystems. The parts that aren’t so beautiful. After all, just because something’s ugly doesn’t mean we can live without it.
SAVE UGLY allowed us to start a conversation about how we need to preserve every part of the ecosystems that make life possible.
Warts and all.
Made possible thanks to tenacity, skill and generosity from production partners, Curious Film (EP - Matt Noonan, Dir. - Zoe Bell, Prod. - Stephen Fitzgibon)
OUTCOMES
Significant celebrity support with the likes of Cate Blanchett, Rosario Dawson and Joel Edgerton all enthusiastically donating their time
Weaving celebrities into our idea was a strategy conceived to help us to achieve:
---- PR reach of 60 million ----
---- PR and influencer content reach worth $1.8 million ----
---- Facebook content watched by 2.8 million people ----
---- SAVE UGLY was universally well received. New audiences loved it as did our core, greenie, audience ----
---- Not only did we get reach in the media, but also positive coverage from influential outlets ----
“Cate Blanchett’s Latest Role
Is The Endangered Green
Punk-Haired Turtle That Breathes Through Its Ass”
GIF by Buzzfeed
“It’s not just about saving the creatures,
but also how to sustain the planet."
MONETISING UGLY
We developed a SAVE UGLY merchandise line, including a range of teeshirts by significant designers and artists, including Reg Mombassa.
Plus, ADOPT UGLY, an adoption program allowing people to adopt various ugly critters.
