Wildlife Trusts - The Wind in the Willows

The UK had been named as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and, to make matters worse, our old pal Brexit meant the already scant legislative protection wildlife did have could be lost completely. We needed the Wildlife Trusts more than ever, but, despite a century of great work and credibility, they weren’t front of mind for the public. They needed a unifying ambition that tied all their fantastic regional work together, forging a new, diverse and progressive vision of our wildlife and its future, ultimately uniting a multi-generational audience in collective action to create a ‘Wilder Future’.

Environmental issues can often feel distant and unfamiliar, but this was happening on our doorstep, in our back gardens and along our favourite walks. It was important to pull focus on what we stood to lose, without turning the public off with bleak, guilt-inducing messaging. We needed to remind everyone what they loved about UK nature, tapping into nostalgia and shared experiences to inspire action.

Using a well-known story featuring British wildlife that’s stood the test of time, we called on some familiar voices to make a splash. We helped Mr Toad save our wildlife by creating an emotive campaign around a dystopian ‘Wind in the Willows’. To launch our film, we took inspiration from Hollywood (if there’s one thing they know, it’s how to draw a crowd of all ages by reimagining classic children’s books), and teased the launch with film posters up and down the country, before releasing our ‘trailer’ with over 125,000 screenings in 500 cinemas across the UK.