Global Warning

Background

Clemenger introduced a Green Council to ensure that as a company they were doing as much as possible to conserve the environment. Their first initiative was to get people to turn off their computers and other electrical equipment when not in use. It contributed to a 27% cut in the agency’s electricity bill, which inspired them to take action of a different sort.

Idea

Aquarium screensavers are huge. Pretty much everyone has one on their machine now. It struck the agency as deeply ironic that the beautiful, pristine oceans which appear when people leave their computer on are actually disappearing because they do. By creating their own screensaver, Clemenger were able to put the solution to global warming at the very heart of the problem. What’s more, because of the medium chosen, the message would appear each and every time people forget to turn off their machine, but not if they don’t - a highly targeted piece of communication. The screensaver was branded with the WWF logo and distributed to 300,000 from their database.

Results

It’s too early yet to collect results, but if there are any fish and coral left in 20 years time, the agency will consider the project a success.

Target audience

WWF are currently in the process of distributing it to 300,000 people from their database. Clemenger are also working with them to investigate ways of spreading it even further.

Our Thoughts

I used to have that software myself. You know, the screensaver that turns your PC into an aquarium. Well, here’s a nice twist on that idea, a seabed that’s dead because we are killing the corals that support the fish that keep the whole darn ecosystem working. A reminder every time you leave your desktop for 10 minutes of what’s happening to the world beyond.