The Campaign

The Pasig River, Manila's main waterway, was transformed into a 25-kilometer sewer system. In 1990, ecologists considered it 'biologically dead.' HANA, a personal care brand, believes in the restorative power of nature. They wanted to join the movement to revive the country's most polluted river, but they wanted to create more than just an ad with a message. To stay true to the brand's personality, the campaign had to be about nature, and to make their message more powerful, it also had to set an example to the people. Because there were no available channels that could fully translate this, the brand created its own. HANA mounted the first ever Water-Cleaning Billboards. Powered by nature, they are floating systems placed on the river and made of vetiver – grass that can absorb pollutants in wastewater. More than a message, the billboards were actually cleaning the river itself. As the local government worked to remove the solid garbage, the billboards purified the water. The river now spoke directly to the thousands people to think twice before throwing waste inside. To amplify the message, a PR campaign was launched, with efforts directed at websites and environmental organizations, as they would be most responsive to the messages. Articles from the environmental organizations were then passed on to social media. The buzz reached national news, and international events that champion sustainability. All over the world, these billboards set an example to the country as they helped clean the most polluted river in the Philippines.

The Brief

The brand wanted to create a campaign that could help change the current state of the river. To stay true to the brand's belief, the heart and soul of the ads had to be about the importance of nature and its preservation. To make the same message stand out and be more powerful, it also had to set example to the people.

Results

The environmental sites and organizations that picked up the campaign praised it and helped spread the message online with articles. Soon, all kinds of other sites began reposting. Then, students and the general youth started sharing, sending the billboards all over social media, eventually reaching the national news. From local primetime news alone, the billboard earned roughly USD 28,000 of free media mileage. Globally, both the creative and environment-related publications featured the effort (AdAge Editor’s Pick of the Day, Yahoo News, Sustainable Brands, Campaign Brief Asia and Fast Co.Create to name a few), and from it the brand received roughly 13M impressions. The brand earned a seat in last year’s annual Sustainable Brands Conference in London amongst 400 advanced executives in Corporate Sustainability, Marketing, Brand Strategy and Product Innovation. It was a testament to how this small effort to save the Pasig River has inspired many the world over.

Execution

In sight of thousands, HANA mounted the first ever Water-Cleaning Billboards. Powered entirely by nature, they are floating systems placed on the river and made of Vetiver. More than just a message, the billboards were actually cleaning the river itself. To further amplify the message, a PR campaign was launched. Due to a limited budget, most efforts were directed at websites and environmental organizations, as they would be most responsive to the messages, thus creating the first wave of amplification. As the billboard reduced the pollution in the wastewater below, change was happening above as well. People along the river were inspired to help keep the river clean and thought twice before throwing garbage along the stream. It became a sign of hope for the residents, students and the community nearby. After the success of the first billboard, two more were constructed and placed on Pasig River.

The Situation

Over the past few decades, Manila saw its crown jewel transform into a source of shame. The Pasig River was now uninhabitable by freshwater fish and unpassable to commuters. Shokubutsu HANA, a personal care brand that manufactures products made from 100% natural cleansing ingredients, believes in the restorative powers of nature. The brand wanted to join the movement to revive the most polluted river in the country.

The Strategy

Instead of using traditional media, the ad was placed in the one place that would really make an impact – on the river itself. As the brand collaborated with botanists, it discovered vetiver, non-invasive grass that absorbs pollutants in the wastewater with its roots that can grow up to 3 meters in length. After approval of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission was attained, the project officially was underway. Thinking forward, the brand knew that most of the people that surround the river are students, residents and office workers. It also knew that the Philippines is the social media capital of the world, with a big chunk of it occupied by the youth. Using this information, a plan with a Digital/PR component was created to help amplify this unique message through the target market, especially to students and those who don’t normally see the river regularly but reside in social media.