The Brief

Carbon Story, an organisation that helps people offset their carbon footprint, wanted to raise awareness about the devastating effects of climate change and inspire global citizens to play a part in supporting green causes. But the grim reality was this – most people simply don't relate to this issue because it seems far from their everyday reality. So before we could raise awareness, we first needed to change people’s perceptions about climate change. To open their eyes, we brought the threat of rising sea levels right to their doorstep.

Creative Execution

A creative mashup of Google API and WebGL enabled us to connect with people on the most personal way possible by empowering them to submerge and share the locations of their choosing. This innovative approach also created the most realistic effects available. Activists swiftly submerged the White House. Producers for TV shows sunk their own studios. Thousands submerged their workplaces. Brands even got involved. Thousands of the world’s most iconic landmarks were quickly under water. This personalisation empowered our audience to curate their message while enabling us to show the world that rising sea levels can affect everyone, everywhere.

Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective.

It was an online experience. But more than that, worldunderwater.org was a warning sign that combined Web GL and Google Street View to show the world under water. Users could type any location – their home, work, any place that’s important and see the catastrophic effects of climate change. They could then spread the word by sharing their generated underwater locations with friends on social media. This made every visit and every shared image a personalised experience. But it wasn’t just about awareness. Users could take action by calculating and offsetting their carbon footprint by supporting a green project.

Results

In the first week alone, the site reached 213 countries and achieved 201 million media impressions. In one month, the website had 823,781 unique visitors who spent an average of 1.6 minutes on the site, generating 891,680 locations. The project was covered by CNN, Fox News, BBC, Huffington Post, Mashable and countless local news stations and websites around the world. This invaluable awareness brought the critical issue of climate change to the masses. More importantly, thousands became part of the solution – helping to offset over 250 tonnes of carbon in the first month after launch.