The Important Stuff – Fbiz 2023 | Clapboard Ad Archive

74

The Important Stuff - Alana | Clapboard Ad Archive

The Important Stuff campaign by Alana and UNICEF, crafted by Fbiz for the Public Service sector in 2023, harnesses the raw, unfiltered voices of 25 children from 12 countries to confront global leaders at COP28 with a direct demand for urgent climate action, positioning children not as passive victims but as critical stakeholders in climate negotiations. By capturing candid testimonies from diverse geographies including Madagascar, Somalia, Serbia, Australia, Pakistan, and the United States, the campaign exposes a glaring gap in climate policy: the systematic exclusion of children, who represent a third of the global population and bear disproportionate risks from the climate emergency, especially in vulnerable regions of the Global South. The project deliberately eschews traditional narrative devices, instead employing what Clapboard’s taxonomy identifies as FORMAT#7—Presenter Testimonial, allowing children themselves to articulate the consequences of environmental neglect and the failure of adult decision-makers to act decisively. This approach elevates the emotional resonance and moral urgency of the message, transforming the campaign into a powerful call for intergenerational justice and accountability. Strategically, the films are showcased at COP28’s Al Wasl Plaza dome, symbolically inserting these youthful voices into the heart of international climate discourse and challenging the diplomatic status quo dominated by political rhetoric. The campaign’s integration of authentic storytelling with a clear institutional partnership framework—including the Van Leer Foundation, the UAE Ministry of Education, and international conservation networks—underscores the necessity of embedding children’s rights in climate frameworks, a demand reinforced by the children’s frank observations and pleas for leaders to stop talking and take action. The Important Stuff highlights how climate change is not merely an environmental or economic issue but a profound human rights crisis affecting the planet’s most vulnerable and voiceless population segment. Clapboard rates this campaign 74/100. This campaign matters to the industry because it demonstrates how public interest communications can pivot from advocacy to direct representation, proving that authentic voices from affected communities deliver urgency and legitimacy that traditional climate narratives often lack.

Credits

Client

Alana

Agency

Fbiz

Ceos

Fernand Alphen and Paulo Loeb

Executive Creative Director

Carla Cancellara

Rtvc

Aline Fernandes

Creative Director

Ryan Bussi, Gustavo Cavinato, Rafael Britzki, Rafael Dias, Gustavo Verçosa

Content

Carolina Monterisi, Camila Bevilacqua, Lara Alfieri, Rodrigo Torres

Media

Nathan Adelino

Business

Lara Magalhães, Juliana Passini, Thiago Segundo, Ygor Attie

Strategic Planner

Renato Duo

Pr (alana)

Regiane Oliveira, Myrian Vallone, Belisa Barga

Pr (fbiz)

Otávio Almeida, Maria Fernanda Pereira

Internal Communication And Language

Category Mind Map

48%

"The Important Stuff" campaign by Alana and UNICEF, developed by Fbiz, seeks to amplify the voices of children affected by the climate crisis, positioning them as essential stakeholders in climate negotiations. The campaign underscores a critical gap: despite children comprising a third of the world’s population and bearing disproportionate climate risks—especially in vulnerable regions—they have historically been excluded from UN climate decision-making. By featuring authentic testimonies from 25 children across 12 countries, the campaign confronts global leaders at COP28 with a direct, emotional call for urgent action, emphasizing accountability and the necessity for policies centered on children’s rights and environmental justice. Strategically, the campaign leverages the unique and credible perspective of children as both victims and advocates, tapping into a powerful emotional insight that transcends traditional political discourse. This approach frames climate change not only as an environmental or economic issue but, critically, as a moral and intergenerational justice imperative. By humanizing the crisis through diverse, candid voices from the Global South and North, the campaign disrupts the usual narrative dominated by diplomatic rhetoric, fostering empathy and urgency among policymakers and the general public. The creative angle combines documentary storytelling with social experiment elements, projecting children’s testimonies in a high-visibility setting at COP28’s Al Wasl Plaza dome, thereby symbolically and literally inserting young voices into global climate conversations. This strategy seeks to shift perceptions about agency and responsibility in climate action, advocating for meaningful participation of children in climate policy and positioning Alana as a champion for this long-overlooked demographic within the broader public interest landscape.

FORMAT#7 PRESENTER TESTIMONIAL — A person explains the product’s benefits directly to the audience. This campaign fits the "Presenter Testimonial" format because it centers on real children from around the world directly sharing their personal testimonies about the impact of the climate crisis on their lives, addressing world leaders with urgent calls for action. Instead of employing story arcs, symbolism, dramatization, celebrity spokepersons, or product demonstrations, the creative device is raw, direct, and grounded in authentic, firsthand statements. The "product"—here being decisive climate action/protection for children at COP28—emerges through these straightforward testimonials, making the children the presenters who personify the global problem and articulate the need for tangible change. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. Greenpeace – Market Positioning Greenpeace is a globally recognized environmental NGO that positions itself as a direct-action advocate for urgent climate solutions, emphasizing grassroots mobilization and high-profile campaigns to pressure governments and corporations. It combines scientific research with bold activism to influence public policy and generate widespread awareness on climate justice, often highlighting youth participation and future generations’ rights. 2. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – Market Positioning WWF leverages its global presence to promote sustainable environmental practices, focusing on the interconnection of biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. It differentiates itself by grounding advocacy in science-based targets and working in partnership with communities, governments, and businesses to develop scalable climate solutions, underscoring the protection of vulnerable ecosystems and populations including children. 3. UNICEF – Market Positioning UNICEF uniquely positions itself at the intersection of child rights and climate action, emphasizing the disproportionate impact of environmental crises on children worldwide. It uses evidence-driven advocacy and storytelling to influence international policy, aiming to ensure that children’s voices are heard in climate negotiations and that environmental policies prioritize child health, safety, and future well-being. 4. Climate Reality Project – Market Positioning Founded by Al Gore, the Climate Reality Project focuses on education and activism to accelerate urgent climate solutions, differentiating itself by empowering grassroots leaders worldwide, including youth advocates. It employs compelling storytelling, digital engagement, and global events to galvanize public understanding and political will, stressing accountability and immediate action on climate issues. 5. Save the Children – Market Positioning Save the Children combines child welfare with climate resilience efforts, highlighting how environmental degradation exacerbates poverty, health risks, and educational disruptions for children globally. Its strategic angle focuses on community-based adaptation and humanitarian responses while advocating for climate policies that protect children’s rights and future prospects, emphasizing real-world impacts through compelling narratives and global advocacy.

Q: What is The Important Stuff | A message from children to COP28 leaders about? A: The Important Stuff | A message from children to COP28 leaders is a 2023 integrated campaign created by Fbiz for the brand Alana within the Public Interest market. It features 25 children from 12 countries sharing candid testimonies about how the climate crisis has affected their lives, demanding urgent and concrete action from global leaders at COP28 in Dubai. Developed in partnership with UNICEF and supported by institutional partners like the Van Leer Foundation and the UAE Ministry of Education, the campaign amplifies the voices of children who have historically been excluded from climate negotiations despite bearing disproportionate risks from environmental degradation. Q: What creative device does The Important Stuff | A message from children to COP28 leaders use? A: The Important Stuff | A message from children to COP28 leaders employs the FORMAT#7 PRESENTER TESTIMONIAL creative device as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This format centers on real individuals—in this case, children—directly addressing the audience with personal testimonies. The campaign eschews dramatization or symbolism, relying instead on raw, authentic statements from children worldwide who articulate the urgent need for climate action. This approach positions the children themselves as the presenters, making their voices the primary vehicle for conveying the campaign’s call to action at COP28. Q: What is the campaign proposition for The Important Stuff | A message from children to COP28 leaders? A: The campaign proposition for The Important Stuff | A message from children to COP28 leaders is to position children as essential stakeholders in climate negotiations by amplifying their firsthand experiences of the climate crisis. Alana and UNICEF communicate directly to global leaders and the public, emphasizing that children, who represent a third of the world’s population and face disproportionate climate risks, have been historically excluded from decision-making. The campaign demands urgent, accountable climate policies centered on children’s rights and environmental justice, framing climate change as a moral and intergenerational imperative that requires immediate and inclusive action. Q: How does The Important Stuff | A message from children to COP28 leaders rank in Clapboard's archive? A: The Important Stuff | A message from children to COP28 leaders holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 74/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive. The rating underscores the campaign’s effective use of authentic testimonies and its strategic positioning within the public interest sector, highlighting its contribution to climate advocacy and children’s rights discourse at a major global event like COP28. Q: Who are the competitors in Alana's category? A: In Alana’s public interest category, key competitors include Greenpeace, which positions itself as a direct-action advocate for urgent climate solutions through grassroots mobilization and bold activism; World Wildlife Fund (WWF), which focuses on sustainable environmental practices grounded in science and partnerships to protect vulnerable ecosystems and populations including children; UNICEF, which uniquely blends child rights advocacy with climate action to influence international policy; Climate Reality Project, which emphasizes education and grassroots empowerment to accelerate climate solutions; and Save the Children, which integrates child welfare with climate resilience by highlighting real-world impacts and advocating for protective climate policies.