Fairtrade Finland has unveiled a campaign starring some (chocolate) animals meeting a sticky end to raise awareness of the impact of climate change on cocoa trees.
Under a “business as usual” scenario, chocolate-growing countries will experience a 3.8°F (2.1°C) increase in temperature by 2050 and a marked reduction in cultivation area. According to Fairtrade Finland, if that happens chocolate as we know it may disappear, or become a rare luxury treat, by 2050 because of the impact rising global temperatures* will have on cocoa crops, and either force farmers out of business, or to switch to more profitable crops.
Four short videos of a melting chocolate snowy owl, monkey, African elephant and a frog starkly symbolise the earth heating-up and its effect on the environment. The animals were selected because they represent the fate of all wildlife as a result of climate change. Each video signs off with the endline: “Save the chocolate, choose Fairtrade chocolate”.
Conceived and created by hasan & partners, the aim of the campaign is to increase awareness and understanding of Fairtrade certification among younger audiences, and to increase sales of products made with Fairtrade chocolate.
In Finland, the snowy owl is extremely endangered because of climate change. Frogs all over the world are suffering, but it’s particularly poignant in Ghana, which is the world’s second-biggest cocoa producer.
The African elephant will have a hard time adapting to a changing environment and the real threat of extinction would also “speed up the climate crisis”. Monkeys in South America are vulnerable and face an “elevated risk of extinction”.
Helinä Leppänen, creative at hasan & partners, commented: “With this campaign we are raising awareness of how climate change threatens cocoa trees and the wildlife that surrounds it. The world is buzzing about the environment but we need to bring the message home in more ways. If chocolate as we know it disappears by 2050, maybe people will look to organisations like Fairtrade to make a stand.”
Mirka Kartano, communications and marketing manager at Fairtrade Finland, added: “Buying Fairtrade certified chocolate has a positive impact on the environment as it supports producers with tools and practices to adapt. When producers are certified as Fairtrade, they commit to environmental standards that protect the local ecosystem. With Fairtrade, chocolate lovers have the power to change the world with simple shopping choices, which also means encouraging chocolate producers to switch to Fairtrade.”
The campaign launches as Fairtrade Week, 21 to 27 October comes to a close, and is supported by DOOH and OOH in Finlands’ biggest cities (Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Oulu and Jyväskylä), PR, Instagram stories, Facebook and Twitter.
*Information sources to support:
- Global warming may melt the chocolate industry.
- Climate change impacts on Indonesian cocoa areas.
- Climate change could threaten cocoa production.
Source: Hasan & Partners
Save the chocolate: Fairtrade Finland launches campaign to show the impact of climate change added by newsroom on
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