This climate crisis campaign uses war-time language

UK – Non-profit branding and advertising agency Among Equals is aiming to broaden support for the UK’s Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill (CEE Bill), through a campaign inspired by 1940s propaganda. The Zero Hour! campaign eschews conventional environmental design cues to instead use graphics and phrases that work across the political spectrum.

Among Equals worked with a cross-party alliance to identify themes that would best engage audiences. ‘It doesn’t matter if you’re hard left or hard right, people like British nature,’ explains Emily Jeffrey-Barrett, co-founder of Among Equals. ‘The second theme is World War II – a huge moment of challenge on one hand, but on the other a time for nostalgic national pride, particularly for the centre and the right.’

By referencing such emotionally stirring themes, the campaign recognises the need to appeal to groups with contrasting ideologies and backgrounds. Elsewhere, we’ve been tracking how designers are applying techniques from dynamic fonts to haptic materials as a way of addressing the climate crisis.