New Zealand telecommunications business, 2degrees unveiled a two-tonne ice sculpture entitled, “Answer the Call”.
The concept, the brainchild of TBWA\New Zealand, consisted of 49 frozen blocks of ice, some with mobile phones inside. Phone calls from Earth persistently rang out from within the ice, but no one answered.
As the urgency of climate change escalates worldwide, 2degrees looked to its creative agency partner for an impactful way to announce a key milestone in its sustainability journey. 2degrees has become the first New Zealand telecommunications business to have its target of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 validated by Science Based Targets initiative. It plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 90 per cent and investment in carbon reduction initiatives to balance out the remaining 10 per cent.
Towering in at three metres high and two metres wide, and made from 2,500 litres of rainwater, the installation unveiled in Britomart’s Takutai Square turned the heads of thousands of people in person and thousands more online.
It made a powerful statement inviting the public to engage with the sculpture, touch the ice and scan the QR code to learn more about 2degrees’ sustainability journey all as Mother Nature took her course.
“We knew we needed something engaging, that would ignite conversation about climate change. It’s a hugely important issue to Kiwis, and a key part of 2degrees’ purpose of fighting of fair. Having our net zero by 2040 target validated is a big deal, and took a lot of work for our team – but we needed a way to promote our Fight for Fair that could engage the public too,” 2degrees GM of marketing Dave Pearce said.
TBWA\New Zealand worked closely with 2degrees and its production partners to sustainably design, test and bring the striking installation to life.
“In recent years we have seen a lot of businesses walk back their net zero targets and this installation was all about stopping people in their tracks and getting them thinking about the harsh reality of climate change and how we need New Zealand businesses to be answering the call again,” TBWA\New Zealand chief creative officer Shane Bradnick said.
“Answer the Call is a bold, physical reminder that the climate crisis is happening and it’s up to all of us to act before it’s too late. It’s always inspiring when we can work with our client partners to make great work that also inspires change.”
The installation was sustainably planned using rainwater collected throughout winter. The mobile phones frozen inside were able to be reused once the ice had melted.
“The phones symbolically demonstrate the connection between the telecommunications industry and the need to act for the climate,” Bradnick added. “It’s bold, it’s immediate, and it taps into the power of visual storytelling to provoke conversation.”
Credits
2degrees
Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer: Zac Summers
GM Marketing: Dave Pearce
Senior Marketing Manager – Brand and Creative: Haley Featonby
Head of Communications: Quentin Reade
Head of Sustainability and Purpose: Rebecca Lindegger
Senior Sustainability Manager: Justine Gabriel
Chief Customer Officer: Emma-Kate Greer
TBWA/New Zealand
Creative Executive Officer: Catherine Harris
Chief Creative Officer: Shane Bradnick
Creative Partners: Ashley Wilding and Dan Davison General Manager: Simon Mills
Senior Business Director: Cassie Lapsley
Eleven PR: Eleisha Balmer and Bella Ramdhanie OMD New Zealand: Harry Chapman
AO Studios
Managing Director: Paul Courtney
Senior Producer: Ash Brown
Executive Producer: Scott Chapman Rollercoaster: Paul Skinner and Greg Skinner
Paradice Ice: Jabel Martin
Orbit Marketing: Brand Ambassadors
Content capture
DOP: Michael LaHood
Stills photography
Radlab: Jordan Vickers
