British Columbia is beautiful. Getting younger city-fed audiences to care about that is the job of its destination brand, Super, Natural British Columbia and agency Zulu Alpha Kilo. Their solution is unexpected.
As part of a new global brand launch, they have created The Nature Rating, a first-of-its-kind digital tool that analyses the media you consume (or are considering) to help you consciously bring more nature into your daily life. The tool aims to deepen our connection to the outdoors, starting with the one taking us away from nature – screens.
“Our mission is to bring people and nature closer together, and The Nature Rating is one way we can contribute to that goal,” stated Maya Lange, vice president, global marketing for Super, Natural British Columbia. “In a world where people are increasingly disconnected from the outdoors, we want to spark reflection and inspire more time spent experiencing nature firsthand.”
The idea came after learning about a study from Social Psychologists, Dr Pelin Kesebir and Dr Selin Kesebir, published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, which found that references to nature in songs, books, and films have been on a steady decline since the 1950s. “There is a strong link between what we consume and how we behave … so tools that encourage a healthier ‘nature diet’ can be a powerful catalyst for inspiring real-world nature engagement.”
Super, Natural British Columbia then surveyed 4,000 adults in the UK and the US. The findings uncovered a complex relationship with the natural world, showing that younger generations feel less connected to nature, with many Gen Z respondents going days without stepping outside.
Younger people feel less connected to nature than their older counterparts, with Gen Z (44%) and Millennials (36%) feeling more disengaged with the natural world than previous generations
Two-thirds of Gen Z (67%) and over half of Millennials (57%) admit there are times when they can go days without stepping outside
More than four in ten parents (43%) say their children spend less time outdoors than they did at the same age, with the average child now getting under an hour (58 minutes) of outdoor time per day.
While 30% of people feel there’s a ‘nature deficit’ in the films, TV, and music they consume, almost half (47%) say that seeing the natural world in media or pop culture inspires them to get outside themselves – a figure that rises to 70% for Gen Z.
The Nature Rating uses a sophisticated model combining AI and natural language processing to analyse the nature content in media titles (films, shows, books, songs) against a list of over 270 nature-related keywords. By cross-referencing data from multiple open-source databases, it analyses the themes, plots and lyrical content to assign a Nature Rating score out of 10. This helps users understand the presence of nature in their favourite content. Based on the rating given for a title, it recommends other highly rated media, as well as simple, actionable ways to find nature nearby, improve your nature deficit and let the outside in.
“The core idea is that if you start seeing more nature in pop culture, you’ll be inspired to start seeking it out in your daily life,” stated Dean Lee, executive creative director, Zulu Alpha Kilo, Vancouver. “Because when we connect with nature, we see it for more than its beauty. We see how important it is to our health and happiness, and how essential it is to protect.”
In addition to The Nature Rating, the team behind Super, Natural British Columbia has launched a new global campaign called, Let The Outside In. Featured across the UK and US, its beautiful visuals designed to inspire travellers from around the world to remember the connection you feel within yourself to something bigger when you experience the wonder of the natural world.
The campaign film positions British Columbia as a place where people can reconnect with the wonder of the natural world. It contrasts a modern life increasingly mediated by screens with the unfiltered beauty of real landscapes. By peeling back the “green screen,” the story reminds viewers that nature is not separate from us, but part of who we are.
Credits
Client: Destination BC
Client Team: Leah Poulton, Steve Winnacott, Elisa Tang, Julia Zhang, Jackie Steel, Leigh Ratcliff
Agency: Zulu Alpha Kilo
Chief Creative Officer: Tim Gordon
Chief Design Officer: Stephanie Yung
Executive Creative Director: Dean Lee
ACD & Writer: Greg Kieltyka
ACDs & Art Directors: Kelsey Hughes, Todd Takahashi
Writers: Wade Hesson, Mariia Kul, Jackson Kemp, Tom Greco
Digital Design Director: Damian Simev
Senior Digital Designer: Gabe Santiago
Director of Integrated Production: Ola Stodulska
Producers: Teresa Bayley, Miléna Malović
Strategy Team: Heather Segal, Erica Shalinsky, Jordan Alperin
Executive Director, Comms Planning & Technology: Sean Bell
Account Team: David Tremblay, Lauren Hutton, Carly Ringer
Production Company: Scouts Honour
Director & DoP: Mark Zibert
Executive Producer & Producer: Rita Popiela, Simon Dragland
DoP: Eric Kaskens
Drone Operator & MOVI: Jeff Patterson
1st AC: Scott Cozens
Production Supervisor: Shaun Veltkamp
Post-Production, Offline: Nimiopere
Executive Producer: Julie Axell
Editor: Steve Puhach
Assistant Editors: Laura Corredor & Shalini Menon
Post-Production House: Zulubot
Director of Post-Production & Operations: Sarah Dayus
Post Producer: Lena Hamady, Amy Groll, Gina Simone
Editor: Erin Brazeau, Alain Elliot
Assistant Editor: Adrian Gluvakovich
Online & Motion Graphics: Miguel Natividad
Colourist: Can Yuksel
Post-Production, Online & VFX: Tantrum Studio
Producer: Rebecca MacKillop
Creative Director & VFX Supervisor: Dominik Bochenski
Designer: Hayoung Na
Colour Studio: Alter Ego Post
Executive Producer: Jane Garrah
Supervising Colourist & Partner: Wade Odlum
Colour Assistant: Daniel Saavedra
Music House: Pickle Music Studios
CCO: Alexis Estiz
Managing Partner & ECD: James Zavaleta
Senior Producer: Vanessa Lozano
Producer: Matt Kerr
Composers: Dario Calequi & Alexis Estiz
Audio Production: Wave Productions
Managing Partner: Megan Hughes
Producer & Production Coordinator: Avery Reid
Audio Engineer & Mixer: Craig Warrian
Digital Production: Verb Interactive
Production House: Green Clock
Cinematographer: Zach Nigh
Audio Production: Balance Music
Audio Engineer & Mixer: Dino Cuzzolino
