Here at BuxtonThreeTwo, we believe that actions speak louder than words. So to celebrate Earth Day, we’re sharing our three favourite publicity stunts that have got people thinking about our planet.

Corona’s plastic wave

Corona’s Plastic Wave

In 2018, Mexican beer brand Corona partnered with Parley for the Oceans to create a giant plastic wave in Shoreditch. Titled ‘The Wave of Waste’, it contained the average amount of plastic found on every two mile stretch of beach in the UK. Members of the public contributed by dropping off their own plastic waste which was added to the wave and recycled after the billboard was taken down.

WWF’s Parisian Pandas in front of the Eiffel Tower

WWF’s Parisian Pandas

In 2008, WWF called on its supporters to build 1600 papier mâché pandas, which appeared underneath the Eiffel Tower. Made from recycled paper, water-based ink and rice glue, the figures represented the exact number of pandas that a survey had reported were left living in the wild. WWF stressed that the installation also represented the wider threat to the environment.

Ice sculpture of Sir David Attenborough

Tenzing’s Icy Attenborough

Earlier this year, drinks giant Tenzing was responsible for the appearance of a giant ice bust of Sir David Attenborough on Southbank. Not just a pretty face, the 5m3 sculpture represented the amount of Arctic Sea ice that melts as a result of one UK resident’s carbon emissions every fortnight. Tenzing explained that their stunt was inspired by Attenborough’s Instagram debut: “saving our planet is now a communications challenge”.

As brands and businesses we have a duty to not just operate as sustainably as we can, but to use the privilege of influence to tell the Earth’s story and highlight it’s problems. Storytelling can be so much more than just social media posts and articles. Creating tangible experiences for people to engage with is a powerful mechanism to convey important messages which allows viewers to feel the problem in front of them.