Is Grey Group Shanghai’s campaign save the vanishing tree an illusion or reality?

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WWF- TheVanishingTree-Main.jpgOn 21st March students from Grade 10 Shanghai High School, International Division, led by Ann Tang, Saku, Sarie and Anya took on an art project with a difference.

Identifying trees on the school’s campus the students painted a strip around the trunk of the tree to give the illusion that you could see through the tree, and that part of the trunk had vanished and was missing.

This is part of the new marketing campaign entitled “Save The Vanishing Tree” developed by Grey Group Shanghai for WWF China where these students are part of the growing green movement in China. The idea uses ambient media in a really clever way to disrupt and draw people’s attention, give them a dose of reality to a serious environmental problem. This is because as the country continues to prosper, we live under the illusion that everything is just fine.

WWF- TheVanishingTree-CloseUp.jpgWWF China has partnered with The Digital Hub, Grey Group Shanghai, and they hope this unconventional use of media and thought provoking idea will capture many people’s attention across social media in China.

There is a QR code printed near the paintings which drives to the WWF website, holding information on the dire situation of deforestation in China and around the world, and what the public can do to help.

Wenbin Huang, forest programme manager of WWF China said that it is important for WWF to raise awareness of the forest protection in China especially on World Forest Day, as this is the market with the biggest demand for wooden furniture and other timber products.

Huang pointed out that globally 12-15 million hectares of forest are lost each year; the equivalent of decimating 1 Forbidden City in China every 3 minutes.

WWF- TheVanishingTree-TheMaking.jpgThe campaign result from the public has been very positive so far. “It has been viewed, shared over 10,000 times on China’s Wechat platform, and some are talking about doing the same campaign in their own campuses on China’s most popular microblog platform Weibo.” Huang reported.

WWF has also joined forces with brands in China, and indeed globally, with companies such as IKEA, Tetra Pak, Carrefour, Aeon Supermarket and the large Chinese wood flooring brand- Nature Home – help consumers make more responsible and sustainable choices with regards to selecting timber and paper products.

WWF China will also run a print and OOH campaign, and is planning to expand this campaign to other countries.

Credits –

Chief Creative Officer: Canon Wu

Creative Director: Jonathan Lim

Art Directors: Yuki Xu, Sasa Yu

Copywriter: Top Yu

Planner: Rachel Woolley

Public Relations: Benjamin Li

Illustrators: Shanghai High School, International Division Grade 10 – Ann Tang, Saku, Sarie, Anya

Production: Meethepeople

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