#Fight4OurPlanet

Background

According to Global Forest Watch, Malaysia has lost nearly 30% of forests since 2000. That’s equivalent to 3.55 gigatons of CO2 emissions. And yet, most Malaysians still think of climate change as something only caused by larger, fossil fuel-consuming countries. But at the same time, Malaysians are also very protective of their nation. If an Olympic athlete is attacked on social media or if a national dish is reviewed unfavourably on food shows, Malaysians always come together as one to defend national pride. So, what if there was a way to make Malaysians as zealous when it comes to conservation?

Idea

National monuments around the world depict soldiers planting flags. With the magic of editing, images were produced to show the soldiers planting trees instead. Thus, creating a simple but powerful statement: Our forefathers fought for our country and it is now our turn to fight for our planet. This kickstarted a social media challenge. Using real army veterans from Patriots National Association as influencers, Malaysians were asked to plant more trees instead of flags. Soon, young influencers and the digital generation was on board - forgoing their typical food and #ootd photos with posts of them planting trees. By tapping into national pride, the campaign made saving the planet a patriotic act. And got Malaysians to support the national pledge to plant 100 million trees by 2025. Launched on International Climate Change Day, the #Fight4OurPlanet challenge resonated with everyday Malaysians, celebrities, and military veterans alike - all of whom began planting trees and tagging 4 friends to do the same.