WWF | THE ANT RALLY | 2013
The Day Insects Stood Up for the First Time in History / WWF "THE ANT RALLY"
Bugs staging a protest. That ridiculous idea won the Grand Prix at Cannes Lions.
The problem
This was a project for WWF's 50th anniversary. The idea: instead of speaking for the creatures of the rainforest who suffer first from deforestation, let them speak for themselves.
The insight
Rather than having humans speak on their behalf, let the ones actually affected make their own appeal. The species chosen was the leafcutter ant, known for carrying leaves. That exact behavior became the foundation of the idea.
The idea
Messages like "Help" and "Ban the Saw" were laser-engraved onto leaves, which leafcutter ants then carried. In a terrarium at Cologne Zoo, hundreds of thousands of ants marched for four days, looking just like a protest march carrying placards with slogans. The image of insects protesting is just perfect.
What happened
The campaign won the Grand Prix for Good at Cannes Lions, along with a Silver in Branded Content & Entertainment and a Bronze in Direct.
Afterthought
What's amazing is how a silly idea—having insects stage a protest—was carried through with genuine care, built on real understanding of the ants' biology and executed with real craft. It's all summed up in BBDO's own line: "For the first time in history, insects stood up, marched, and went viral." This is the kind of work I'd love to make.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Grand Prix 2013
