The Turkish government plans to build several coal operated power plants all around Turkey which will change the country's climate forever. It was local election time in Turkey so we used this opportunity to create public pressure on the candidates to sign the Greenpeace Climate Declaration.

The first step was creating hype by inventing a “fake” candidate who would run in the elections with amusing promises. To secure attention, the environment was not directly brought in during this phase, nor was any association with Greenpeace mentioned. We called our “fake” candidate Seyfi Solukal (his surname means “take a breath” in Turkish). His promises garnered positive responses, a fan base and so much hype in the media and public.

In the second phase, we started with a press conference indicating the true identity and the purpose of Seyfi Solukal. At the end, the campaign achieved USD$800,000 worth of PR coverage with just a USD$9,000 total budget. Seyfi Solukal appeared on several television programs including CNN Turk, and was featured by many national newspapers and websites. The number of candidates formally supporting the Declaration has reached to an astonishing 74 compared to a poor 5 before the campaign.

The first phase was creating a “fake” candidate for the upcoming local elections. His name was Seyfi Solukal (his last name is a coined word meaning “take a breath”). He had all the necessary elements for popularity. Highly absurd promises, a kitsch heart symbol, a naive motto and an outdated graphic sense... Our guerrilla posters graced every inch of the city. Press releases were sent, as was an election jingle, a propaganda video and two viral films; an official website, a fan page on Facebook and Twitter were created...

In the second phase we used his surname to explain our real purpose which was “LET TURKEY BREATHE”. We started with a press conference indicating the true identity and the purpose of Seyfi Solukal, followed by a newspaper ad, radio spots and an email campaign. The campaign went far beyond expectations, every phase and material was original and not adapted.

• Throughout the campaign Seyfi Solukal was invited to several talk shows on numerous TV channels, including CNN Turk• He was asked to give interviews to many newspapers, websites and radio shows• His site was clicked by thousands• He was featured on hundreds of blogs and sites• His name now generates 37,700 results on Google• With a budget of USD$9,000, we achieved USD$800,000 worth of PR coverage• Seyfi's influence, the number of "real" candidates who have signed the Greenpeace Climate Declaration has escalated from a poor 5 to an astonishing 74.