Home » Work » WWF Earth Hour campaign
Poster in a busy underground station featuring a close-up of a polar bear with the message “Your Promise, Your Planet.” The campaign encourages people to support WWF’s Earth Hour, with a call to action to #PromiseForThePlanet and details of the event on 24 March at 8:30pm.

WWF Earth Hour campaign

,

A record-breaking campaign that turned personal promises into global action, building emotional connection and momentum for the planet.

London Underground poster featuring a turtle and WWF Earth Hour branding with message “Your Promise, Your Planet.”

The challenge

WWF UK appointed Ave to lead the creative for Earth Hour, a flagship campaign designed to engage new audiences and inspire personal behaviour change under the theme ‘Promises for the Planet.’ Audience insight revealed a key barrier: many people simply didn’t believe their individual actions could make a difference.

The campaign needed to challenge that mindset. It had to be bold, emotive and immediate, speaking directly to three key groups: Homely Animal Lovers, Cultured Environmentalists and Millennials. Riding a wave of national concern about plastics, conservation and sustainability, the campaign also had to act as a long-term gateway into deeper engagement with WWF’s work.

The requirements

  • An integrated on- and offline campaign with strong emotional impact
  • A visual identity that felt urgent, personal and distinct from previous Earth Hour activity
  • Messaging that inspired action and conveyed the power of individual change
  • Creative that aligned with WWF’s wider mission and tone of voice
  • A concept that could scale across channels, formats and influencers to maximise reach
  • A campaign capable of attracting new supporters and beginning long-term relationships
Instagram animation for WWF UK’s Earth Hour campaign featuring a polar bear and turtle with the message “Your Promise, Your Planet.”
Digital billboard animation for Earth Hour showing a snow leopard and event time: 8:30PM to 9:30PM, 24 March.
Underground station poster featuring a rhino for WWF Earth Hour campaign with message “Your Promise, Your Planet.”

The process

Audience research showed that emotional resonance was key, particularly imagery that created a sense of connection. We developed the concept ‘Your Promise. Your Planet’ to make the action feel personal and meaningful. Rather than telling people what to do, we invited them to join a global movement by making one promise to protect the planet.

The visual approach centred on striking split-screen images of animals making direct eye contact with the viewer, creating a moment of challenge, reflection and emotional engagement. The copy paired with each image reinforced this one-to-one connection, making it feel as though the animal was speaking directly to the audience.

The campaign was rolled out across social media, email, print, influencer channels and more, designed to stop people mid-scroll, spark curiosity and drive action.

Tube carriage posters promoting Earth Hour with tiger and turtle imagery and bold text “Your Promise, Your Planet.”
Black and white typographic graphic with bold blue accents urging viewers to “Make a promise to change one thing to help our planet.”
Digital billboard animation for Earth Hour showing a snow leopard and event time: 8:30PM to 9:30PM, 24 March.

The solution

By combining eye contact, emotional resonance and a clear call to action, the campaign made the abstract feel personal and the individual feel powerful. It gave people a reason to care, and the tools to act – starting with a promise, and building towards a movement.

Interior banners for WWF Earth Hour UK showing endangered animals and climate messaging in a modern public atrium.

We worked with Ave on a high profile campaign that had sudden changes in creative direction, huge numbers of deliverables and deadlines that were absolutely brutal.  They managed to float above all of the turmoil with a smile on their faces and create a campaign that smashed all of our targets and was one of the most effective creatives we’ve had.  I would work with them again in a heartbeat.”

Brand and Design Specialist
WWF
Over 56000

promises made to protect the planet

400+

landmarks switched off (target was 300)

100 million+

reach on #EarthHourUK; #EarthHour trended all day

45%

increase in web traffic compared to the previous year

66%

increase in conversion rate compared to the previous year

36

new memberships on the day – up from just 6 in the previous year

Would you like to see results like these for your organisation?

If you’re interested in finding out more about how we could work together, send us a message and we’ll get back to you.

Let’s talk about how we can help

You may also find these interesting

Here’s a look at some of our most recent and relevant work, projects that show what we do, how we think, and the impact we’ve helped create for our clients.

  • Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust strategy and rebrand

    Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust strategy and rebrand

    Bringing clarity, connection and confidence to a trusted NHS identity – a rebrand for Frimley Health that unites services and strengthens public trust

  • Surrey & Sussex Healthcare Charity rebrand

    Surrey & Sussex Healthcare Charity rebrand

    A local charity with a big heart: rebranding Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Charity to connect communities and champion NHS care

  • The Leasehold Advisory Service rebrand

    The Leasehold Advisory Service rebrand

    Future-proofing a trusted government-funded advice service with a bold new brand that brings clarity, credibility and digital confidence.

  • Genomics England podcast visual identity

    Genomics England podcast visual identity

    Designing for discovery: helping Genomics England explain the future of healthcare through bold, accessible digital storytelling

Andy White, Freelance WordPress Developer London