Case Study
United Nations Development Programme
Overview
What Can a Dinosaur Teach Us About Climate Change?
What we did
Multicultural Marketing
Social Media
Creative
In October 2021, the UNDP launched its signature climate campaign, #DontChooseExtinction, with a video introducing its new climate spokesperson, Frankie the Dinosaur. Our goal was to expand the reach and extend the life of the #DontChooseExtinction campaign by establishing Frankie as a climate influencer and public figure akin to Smokey the Bear.
To achieve our mission, we brought Frankie the Dino to life with a realistic dinosaur puppet. Frankie participated in major events like COP27, Climate Week NYC, and YouthConnekt Africa; visited local schools and recreation centers; and improvised “one-dino” climate marches in host cities. The appearances drew large crowds, generated viral organic social content, and received extensive media coverage.
The United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) brand purpose is to work towards eradicating poverty, reducing inequality and exclusion, and promoting sustainable development across the world. The UNDP aims to achieve this by supporting countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnerships, and institutional capabilities that will help them sustainably reduce poverty and inequality. Frankie the Dino embodies the optimism and positivity that drives this altruistic work, expressing encouragement and urgency in achieving these goals.
Case Study
Our Approach
Frankie’s activations were anchored by participation in major events where he engaged with participants and spoke about his campaign via a dinosaur “translator”. Alongside these appearances, Frankie took to the streets in the cities he visited, improvising “one-dino” climate marches in busy public spaces with a protest sign that drove onlookers to the #DontChooseExtinction campaign website. Crowds swarmed the dinosaur looking for selfies, and Frankie’s impromptu street protests often led to media interviews.
The campaign also leveraged the UNDP’s extensive network of country offices to engage local schools and recreation centers in host cities. Frankie entertained students while offering teachers a playful opportunity to discuss challenging environmental issues. Frankie’s social media platforms capitalized on the virality of these appearances to further develop Frankie’s voice, character, and identity online.
Our Implementation
We successfully collaborated with a manufacturer to create a custom dinosaur costume that was identical to the animated character Frankie. The costume was specifically designed for our activation campaign.
To ensure smooth operations and execution of the campaign, we established a core execution team. This team was responsible for managing various aspects such as activation performance, transportation and logistics, and content creation. Their expertise and coordination were crucial to the success of the project.
In order to maximize the impact of the campaign, we worked closely with UNDP country offices. Through their assistance, we were able to identify effective education strategies, determine optimal activation locations, and leverage local media and influencer opportunities. Their valuable insights helped us tailor the campaign to specific regions and target audiences effectively.
To maintain a seamless connection between live activations and the digital realm, we synchronized our live activations with a remote team. This remote team was responsible for creating and posting content in real-time during activations. They also played a vital role in managing social media and earned media engagement, ensuring that the campaign gained maximum visibility and engagement across various platforms.
Through our collaborative efforts, we were able to bring the animated character Frankie to life and engage audiences in a unique and interactive manner. The combination of a custom costume, a dedicated execution team, strategic collaborations, and real-time content creation and engagement allowed us to achieve our campaign objectives effectively.
