URSA Italy - main provider of building insulation in Italy and committed to fighting global warming - lost its factory two years ago in the earthquake. New plant opened Feb 2015 .

Challenge - regain leadership in extruded polystyrene thermal insulation market; educate on the benefits of building insulation to reduce global warming.

- People don’t know that 40% of CO2 emissions into the EU atmosphere come from buildings.

Strategy - attract attention, be memorable, build URSA Italy awareness and brand identity.

Idea - launch a (fake) company called Arsu Systems that markets bear skins for home thermal insulation; its own website in four languages; detailed description of product range and shocking mission; corporate video with the CEO talking about how he raises bears to skin them. The idea went viral in a week.

Reveal - When indignation reached a critical mass, URSA Italia revealed that this provocation was a way to attract attention to global warming and prove its own commitment to fighting it.

Launched URSA Award Best Project for a Better Tomorrow for professionals and students. Applications close July 30th.

PR activity:

- nurtured and fanned people’s reactions;

- seeding;

- managed crisis;

- fundraising for Italian Climate Network;

- media coverage TV/ Press;

- prestigious jury members for URSA Award

- Feb. inauguration: Prime Minister sent representatives and congratulations; SKYTV interviewed URSA management, reported on Arsu Systems video and URSA Italy reveal with General Manager taking a stand on global warming.

Launch a fake company, Arsu Systems, marketing bear skins for thermal insulation. Company website; corporate video, CEO talks about product range and shocking mission; LinkedIn page; facebook and twitter accounts; telephone number; press release.

URSA reveals it is behind this project and explains why this provocation was necessary to put global warming back on our radar, teach us about thermal insulation for our homes and give us tools to actively participate in fighting it.

- make a donation to the partner, Italian Climate Network

- start insulating your home

- sign up your project for the URSA Award

Output:

€uro 200,000 in earned media

70 articles, 3 TV stations.

5000 people signed change,org petition to close Arsu Systems

+200 blogs and authoritative websites pick up the news

Over 2 million conversations on social networks

URSA Italy facebook fans grew by 4000%

€uro 4000 raised for Italian Climate Network to date

60 people signed up for URSA Award so far (closes July 30)

Awareness

National TV and Press, international Press picked up and reported

SkyTV sent a troupe to the new inauguration Feb 24, interviewed URSA Italian and EU management, aired and commented on the Arsu Systems video,

Italian Prime Minister recorded congratulations to URSA commitment to Italy.

Action/Business impact

Factory at full capacity.

Fifty families unemployed by the earthquake are back to work.