Cannes Lions

Future of Nature

UNCOMMON CREATIVE STUDIO, London / WORLD WILDLIFE FUND (WWF) / 2023

Awards:

1 Shortlisted Cannes Lions
Presentation Image
Case Film
Supporting Images

Overview

Entries

Credits

Overview

Background

Shockingly, the UK is in the top 10% of the most nature depleted countries in the world: a quarter of all our mammals are at risk of extinction; over the last 50 years we’ve lost 38million birds from our skies and 97% of our wildflower meadows have disappeared. If harmful activities are left unchecked, the situation will only deteriorate further.

In the run-up to Earth Day2023, WWF curated a powerful new exhibition showcasing a series of AI-generated images of UK landscapes in the style of British Romantic art, to imagine how this historical movement might witness and record the future of our natural world. While the paintings themselves are not real, they show genuine possibilities.

The exhibition was designed in two halves with over 20 unique images, each image is dated with the year it imagines, and is accompanied by a description of real-world scenarios the subject matter faces.

Idea

In a nutshell, we used A.I. to create visions of the UK’s future, rendered in the style of Britain’s most famous and celebrated landscape artists including Turner and Constable. Creating provocative images in a British Romantic style was a powerful way of storytelling some of the most alarming facts about nature depletion and habitat destruction that’s happening on our doorstep, and forcing us Brits to see our romanticised landscapes in a new light.

Strategy

We are in the top 10% of the most nature depleted countries in the world: a quarter of all our mammals are at risk of extinction; over the last 50 years we’ve lost 38 million birds from our skies & 97% of our wildflower meadows have disappeared since the 1930s. If harmful activities are left unchecked, the situation will only deteriorate further. However, the science is clear about what we need to do to turn things around.

So, we curated a powerful new exhibition showcasing a series of AI-generated images of landscapes in the style of British Romantic art, to imagine how this historical movement might witness & record the future of our natural world - showing genuine possibilities.

‘Future of Nature’ was on display to the public 180 The Strand in London, while a virtual version of the exhibition was available between 20 April — 07 May at https://futureofnature.uk/.

Execution

In the run-up to Earth Day 2023, WWF curated a powerful new exhibition showcasing a series of AI-generated images of UK landscapes in the style of British Romantic art, to imagine how this historical movement might witness and record the future of our natural world. While the paintings themselves are not real, they show genuine possibilities.

The exhibition was designed in two halves with over 20 unique images, each image is dated with the year it imagines, and is accompanied by a description of real-world scenarios the subject matter faces today.

‘Future of Nature’ was on display to the public between 20 to 22 April at 180 The Strand in London, and a virtual version of the exhibition was available between 20 April — 07 May at https://futureofnature.uk/.

Outcome

The exhibition first launched on 20th April - initial results have been impressive but it is too soon to see longer term results.

Over 100,000 visits to the exhibition in the first week (digital and physical).

1.2m impressions on OOH (smashing targets by 10% in the first week).

National press including BBC radio, Timeout, Metro and The Guardian.

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