The Australian bushfires last year decimated koala populations. This was a crisis event for the species which was already in serious decline due to habitat destruction, domestic dog attacks, bushfires and road accidents. The fires impacted more than 60,000 of the marsupials, leaving thousands homeless and the koala species now threatened with possible extinction in parts of Australia by 2050. Only an estimated 85,000 koalas remain in Australia.
Essity, which owns UK toilet tissue brand, Cushelle brand, has created a special partnership with WWF, pledging £150,000 to support the recovery of koalas impacted by the 2020 Australian bushfires and the brand has launched a campaign with Publicis Poke, Zenith, Blue Chip and Finn Communications. The campaign involves the removal of Kenny the koala from 3,000,000 of its promotional packs.
The concept for the campaign was devised by creative agency, Publicis•Poke, which also developed a series of tongue-in cheek films that aim to show how irreplaceable koalas are. The films are running in social, YouTube, BVOD, and VOD and will be supported with PR, influencer and shopper activations to build awareness and drive donations for the charity.
Dave Monk, executive creative director at Publicis•Poke, noted, “The light-hearted family humour strikes the right balance between maintaining what Cushelle is known for and not sacrificing the devastating message it wants to communicate. It’s a fitting way to showcase the 93-year-old brand’s commitment to sustainability and to give the British public a very simple way to play their part in saving koalas.”
Nicola Coronado, UK & ROI marketing director at Essity, commented, “We saw the devastating impact the 2020 bushfires had on Australian wildlife and with our brand mascot being a Koala, we know just how special these cuddly creatures are. We are also aware the crisis is far from over, which is why we believe we have a responsibility to actively support the cause and raise awareness among our consumers and beyond.
“We’re proud to be partnering with WWF and hope that our campaign will bring British consumers’ attention back to the crisis, in turn making a significant difference to our mascot Kenny’s marsupial friends down under. We’re also pleased to have partnered with an excellent group of agencies that are working hard together for the greater good.”
British shoppers can contribute to the cause by buying a special donation pack of Cushelle Original. Available now in major supermarkets nationwide, both instore and online.
Credits:
Client: Essity (Cushelle)
Advertising Agency: Publicis•Poke
Executive Creative Director: Dave Monk
Creative Director: Brian Williams
Creative Team: Rob Butcher & Chris Townsend
Planner: Mike Waters
Business Lead: Roxanne Courtman
Account Team: Lizzy Adams
Agency Producer: Colin Hickson
Production Company: Sweetshop & MPC
PR & Social Agency: Finn Communications
Shopper Marketing Agency: Blue Chip
Media Agency: Zenith UK
