DEAD WHALE

Gold Spike

Case Film

Presentation Image

TitleDEAD WHALE
BrandGREENPEACE PHILIPPINES
Product / ServiceDEAD WHALE
CategoryB08. Use of Stunts
EntrantDENTSU JAYME SYFU Makati City, THE PHILIPPINES
Idea Creation DENTSU JAYME SYFU Makati City, THE PHILIPPINES
Media Placement DENTSU X Makati, THE PHILIPPINES
PR DENTSU X Makati, THE PHILIPPINES
Production GREENROOM INC. Manila, THE PHILIPPINES

Credits

Name Company Position
Merlee Jayme Dentsu Jayme Syfu Chief Creative Officer
Biboy Royong Dentsu Jayme Syfu Creative Director
Soleil Badenhop Dentsu Jayme Syfu Digital Copywriter
Blane Rosales / Biboy Royong Dentsu Jayme Syfu Art Director
Biboy Royong Dentsu Jayme Syfu Designer
Julia Pronstroller-Gallardo Dentsu Jayme Syfu Business Unit Director
Tabbi Tomas Dentsu Jayme Syfu Social Media Manager
Sheila Villanueva Dentsu Jayme Syfu Print Production Coordinator
Butch Garcia Etnikolor Production
Reuben Hamahia Dela Cruz Photographer Photographer
Jam de Guzman Dentsu X General Manager
Chinkey Llave Dentsu X Business Director
Paul Reyes Dentsu X Senior Media Manager
Bong Osorio Dentsu Aegis Network PR Consultant
Franny Omampo Greenroom Inc. Executive Producer
Lester Parulan Slingshot Manila Producer
JP Campos Greenroom Inc. Post Producer
Erin Hipolito/Jaymar Carinan/Berto Abenido Greenroom Inc. Editors/Artists
Adrian Tecson Underground Logic Managing Director
Paolo Morato Underground Logic Head of Creative Operations
Leslie Tan Underground Logic Senior Colorist
Wayne Dayauon Underground Logic 3D Artist/Animator/Generalist/VFX Supervisor
Glenn Mariano HIT Productions Audio Engineer
Teddy Katigbak HIT Productions Music Arranger

The Campaign

Greenpeace needed to visualize the worsening case of plastic pollution so we created a 73-foot decomposing blue whale on the shores of one of the most polluted cities in the country. We used almost 160 kilos worth of plastic wastes collected from the ocean, and visualized a realistic dead whale with sprawling innards from its bloated underbelly, to catch the attention of locals within the area. As we unveiled the dead whale, it immediately went viral online through a social post from one of the locals. It got picked up on social media because of its stark difference from other beached sea creatures—it’s big, brutal, and terrifying. Then when people realized it was made entirely of plastic wastes, people started talking about the issue of plastic pollution in our oceans, and joined Greenpeace’s call to the ASEAN leaders to recognize the issue.

Creative Execution

The ‘Dead Whale’ was mounted on a beach in one of the most polluted cities in the country. It was constructed secretly beside the shore for only 5 days with a team of 9 people. The materials used were plastic wastes collected from the ocean--white sacks went to the underbelly and its textures, plastic straws and wires to bind the materials together, red sacks for the innards and blood effect, and PET bottles for the baleen teeth, amounting to over 160 kilos of plastic wastes and 73 feet in length. The sculpture was then transferred to the shore and unveiled a few kilometers away from the ASEAN Leaders Summit. Photos were posted on social media and immediately got picked up organically by local and international media outfits. Then it resulted to the recognition of ASEAN leaders in the summit.

The campaign was able to attract millions of people online and offline in over 100 countries, with ZERO media spend. -Over 100 Million impressions from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and website pickups. -Top news and media sites, both local and international, covered the news: -AJ PLUS (https://twitter.com/ajplus/status/863764937453309953) -CNN PHILIPPINES (http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2017/05/12/dead-whale-cavite.html) -ASIAN CORRESPONDENT (https://asiancorrespondent.com/2017/05/philippines-greenpeace-unfurls-beached-plastic-whale-raise-awareness/#FBSrZrAw5XQlfYDK.97) -VICE (https://www.vice.com/en_id/article/ywznv7/kids-are-playing-with-a-dead-whale-in-the-philippinesheres-why-id) -THE TELEGRAPH (https://www.facebook.com/TELEGRAPH.CO.UK/videos/10155670610784749/) -BLOOMBERG TV (https://www.facebook.com/BloombergTVPh/videos/1960935260809894/) -PEOPLE’S DAILY CHINA (https://www.facebook.com/PeoplesDaily/posts/1532945026757309?match=I1BoaWxpcHBpbmVzLHBoaWxpcHBpbmVzLGRlYWQgd2hhbGU%3D) -EL TIEMPO (https://web.facebook.com/eltiempo/videos/10154451230212805/) -VUZ (https://web.facebook.com/WatchVuz/videos/1384199604998884/) -THE SEEKER (https://web.facebook.com/SeekerMedia/videos/10154992807143387/) -Local and international news channels reported about the ‘Dead Whale’ -REUTERS (UK) -ARTE 28 (France) -Vinhlong TV Station (Vietnam) -Nation TV (Thailand) -24.KZ (Russia) -ADN40 (Mexico) -112 UA (Ukraine) -GMA NEWS TV (Philippines) -TV5 NEWS (Philippines) Most importantly, the issue was included in a proposal for the next ASEAN Leaders’ Summit, just one day after the launch. - “ASEAN elevates coastal, marine environment protection bid” by the Philippine News Agency (http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/987269)

The campaign utilized the news angle of the ‘Dead Whale’. It leveraged on a relevant event--the ASEAN Leaders’ Summit on Coastal and Marine Development. On the same day, we unveiled the sculpture and urged locals to post on social media. In the first 24 hours, we sustained online conversations and created a viral effect that caught the attention of the people and, eventually, the ASEAN leaders. Furthermore, by using the hashtag #RefusePlastic, influencers for the environment started talking about the issue on plastic pollution and the heart of the conversation immediately shifted from shock to action.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

We launched the campaign on May 11, 2017, during the 31st ASEAN leaders’ summit on coastal and marine development. As soon as we unveiled the whale, we invited the media to do a live coverage of the stunt. Simultaneously, as locals posted photos online, the live news explained Greenpeace Philippines’ initiative to call on ASEAN leaders to take up the issue of plastic pollution during the summit. It immediately went viral online, with Filipinos and eventually people from around the world, talking about the issue and how the simple act to #RefusePlastic can be a step to solving the problem. The ‘Dead Whale’ went from national to international news, and that was enough for the ASEAN leaders to recognize the sculpture and elevate a proposal on plastic pollution for the next leaders’ summit.