Once upon a time, children were allowed to explore the Planet of imaginary Apes in the bushland at the end of their street and go Back to the Jungle along its foreshore.

For most kids these days, nature comes in packets. And while General Mills Canada’s Nature Valley is happy to provide these, the brand is also a champion of the outdoors.

Three separate studies by worldwide organisations, National Trust, The Nature Conservancy, and Children and Nature Network, came to the same conclusion – that fewer than 10% of children play outdoors even once a week.

“When we learned fewer than 1 in 10 kids spend time in nature. And that the issue is especially pronounced in low-income areas, we felt compelled to take action. We have a long-standing relationship with the Boys & Girls Club of Canada and we believe these kids would really appreciate the chance to explore true nature, something they may have not experienced before,” Emma Eriksson, director of snacks, General Mills, remarked.

So Nature Valley asked Tribal Worldwide – Toronto to give it a hand.

And that led to a surprise field trip for a group of children from the Boys & Girls Club of high-rise infested West Scarborough – which Tribal then turned into a two minute brand film with tear-jerker genes.

The children were taken to a conservation area, where they spent the day hiking, going on a scavenger hunt and catching frogs. The film aims to re-inspire Canadian mums and dads to get their children outdoors and rediscover nature again.

Joshua Stein, creative director, Tribal Worldwide – Toronto, explained, “Some kids in low-income areas don’t ever leave their own neighbourhoods. While we know it’s a big issue that can’t be solved by one field trip, we knew the kids would really benefit from it. And a brand taking action like this can sometimes resonate more than an ad.

Adding to the impact of the film is a new website, that extends the film with additional content that highlights ways to get out and experience the joys of nature, a park finder feature that points to nearby parks and green spaces, product information and an opportunity to make a donation to the Boys and Girls Club of Canada.

The national campaign will run for five weeks, boosting the television creative by Cossette, Inc. that re-asserts the need to rediscover nature.