The campaign centres on a film, created by ad agency Try and production company Aparent, both based in Norway, which highlights the unprecedented number of climate records that were broken in 2023 via gripping sports-style commentary.

These include 2023 being overall the hottest year on record, while Greece set a European record for the largest wildfire in the continent’s history, and Mozambique set an African record for the longest-living tropical cyclone ever. Additionally, 77 other countries set national heat records.

“If you read the news, it’s not uncommon to see countries breaking two types of records; sports records and climate records,” say Hallvard Vaaland and Mathias Sandvik, the creatives behind the campaign.

“Unfortunately, one type gets far less attention than it deserves. As countries from around the world line up for the Olympics, it’s the perfect time to highlight the records we don’t want to break and bring home the message that together we can change the game.”

While the message of the campaign is bleak, the WWF wants to highlight that change is possible. “At the Olympics, humans will show what incredible efforts can achieve. Now we need our leaders to show similar determination and resolve as these sporting champions, and put climate and nature on a path to recovery,” says Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, WWF global climate and energy lead. “Changing the game is possible. We have the solutions, we just need to accelerate them.”

Credits:
Agency: Try
Creatives: Mathias Sandvik, Hallvard Vaaland, Eirik Sørensen, Caroline Riis, Preben Moan, Camilla Bjørnhaug, Lars-Kristian Harveg, Jonas Gønnern, Even Moseng, Kenneth Lamond, Sebastian Rasch
Motion Designer: Bendik Ramm
Designers: Bendik Ramm, Sindre Annweiler, Mats Mæland
Production Company: Aparent
Director: Kavar Singh