Earth Hour volunteers get together for new global TVC

Earth Hour has announced the launch of the new global 2011 television commercial that calls for people to switch off their lights for Earth Hour and take action ‘beyond the hour’. The concept of the TVC was developed by Leo Burnett in Chicago and follows the recent introduction of a special Earth Hour logo featuring a plus sign after the “60” – a change that symbolizes a shift in the Earth Hour message this year - that everyone has the power to do more for the planet beyond the hour.

Watch the TVC (story continues below)

The TVC features a series of images, each demonstrating a different example of a positive action. A cast of volunteers used their bodies to suspend individual ‘pixels’ that together create the powerful images for the ad. Each image shows individuals coming together with the same goal: to take positive action for the planet, beyond switching off their lights. Up to 424 individual pixels formed the iconic images of the globe, a light bulb, bicycle and plus sign – all which will send the Earth Hour message to people around the world.

Andy Ridley, co-founder, Earth Hour, said, “Earth Hour has grown exponentially year on year since its inception in 2007. We have been overwhelmed by the power of individuals and communities to come together and send a powerful message by switching off the lights. Just imagine what we could achieve if we take this beyond the hour. Our 2008 TVC was seen by more than 1.3 million people worldwide. We hope this video, which will be viewed by people across the globe, will drive even more involvement in and awareness of Earth Hour.”

“Leo Burnett has been proudly involved in the Earth Hour movement since its inception in 2007. The beauty of this campaign is that it sticks to the simplicity of the Earth Hour message, whilst allowing people to think about what else they can do, in their everyday lives, to extend their action beyond that hour,” said Vince Geraghty, SVP Content Architect, Leo Burnett.

The TVC was filmed in 40 takes in just 12 hours with 33 crew members and around one hundred volunteers at Sydney’s Fox Studios. During the filming process, each pixel was individually mapped out by award winning director, Greg Jardin.

Credits:Agency: Leo Burnett Chicago

Client: Earth Hour

Production house: Radical Media

Director: Greg Jardin

Executive producer: Ian Fowler

Producer: Helen Morahan