WWF Race to Save the World campaign
A bold and energetic campaign toolkit designed to connect with sports fundraisers, combining urgency, humour and WWF’s signature voice to inspire action for the planet.
The challenge
WWF approached Ave with a specific task: to engage a new audience of third-party sports fundraisers, people who might not be familiar with the charity’s environmental mission, but who are committed to taking on physical challenges for good causes.
The campaign needed to retain the integrity of WWF’s core brand while feeling distinct, energised and relevant to a fundraising community. The tone had to feel human and motivating, acknowledging the effort involved in fundraising activities while keeping the message rooted in urgency and purpose.
The requirements
- A full creative concept for a sports fundraising audience, rooted in WWF’s brand
- Copy and visual directions that dialled up emotion, humour and urgency
- Testing of concept ideas with live audiences to ensure relevance and impact
- A visual and verbal toolkit that could flex across the supporter journey, from first interaction to long-term retention
- Guidance and templates to empower WWF teams to use the campaign across platforms
The process
We started by exploring the mindset of sports fundraisers, what motivates them, what tone inspires them, and how they like to be spoken to. We developed a series of copy lines, visual treatments and conceptual directions, testing these with real audience groups to refine what resonated best.
The human tone of WWF’s voice was central to the concept, but with an added layer of humour and acknowledgement. We wanted fundraisers to feel seen, celebrated and supported, recognising that their efforts, sweat and dedication were all part of a bigger race: a race to save our world.
The solution
We developed the creative theme ‘A Race to Save Our World’, a campaign built around urgency, time running out and the collective power of action. It was deliberately energetic, with copy and design that worked across everything from first sign-up to post-race thank-yous.
We chose a bright yellow from WWF’s existing colour palette as the campaign lead – energetic, optimistic and highly visible. Paired with WWF’s core black, it also evoked a sense of warning and action. The visuals and copy carried a dual tone: playful and punchy, while rooted in a serious environmental message.
The campaign toolkit included tone of voice guidance, visual assets and adaptable messaging for every stage of the supporter journey, from acquisition and event promotion through to retention and re-engagement.
By meeting fundraisers where they are – on the track, on the bike, or halfway up a hill – WWF was able to make its mission feel relevant, urgent and achievable. It’s still their world. But now, it’s their race too.
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.
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