EDP’s campaign "United for a Wonderful World" positions the brand as a global leader committed to the energy transition and environmental sustainability, emphasizing the urgent need for collective action against climate change. The campaign leverages the symbolic “Overview Effect,” a transformative experience reported by astronauts who observe Earth from space, to reflect the interconnectedness of humanity and the planet. By featuring astronauts of diverse nationalities united on the moon, EDP underscores the message that climate challenges transcend borders and require a collaborative, borderless response. The campaign’s core proposition is a promise of a greener future, anchored by EDP’s commitment to becoming 100% renewable by 2030 and leading the shift to clean energy sources such as wind, water, and solar power.
Strategically, the campaign draws on a profound insight: sustainability issues are often overlooked because of limited perspectives. By invoking José Saramago’s quote, “You have to leave the island to see the island,” it encourages audiences to adopt broader viewpoints necessary for addressing the climate crisis. The creative narrative—using a powerful, aspirational film medium coupled with the emotional resonance of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World”—engages viewers on both intellectual and emotional levels. This approach targets a global, environmentally conscious audience attuned to collaborative efforts and responsibility sharing across nations. Furthermore, the deliberate inclusion of astronauts from multiple continents mirrors EDP’s international presence and reinforces the brand’s global footprint in renewable energy. Overall, the campaign integrates a universal, unifying message with a clear corporate commitment, positioning EDP as both a visionary and active participant in shaping a sustainable future.
FORMAT#3 SYMBOLIZE THE PROBLEM — Uses symbols or analogies to represent the problem instead of showing it literally.
This campaign uses the astronauts’ experience of the “Overview Effect” as a metaphorical device to symbolize the climate challenge: by placing people from different nations on the moon, looking back at Earth, it dramatizes the idea that borders are artificial and the fight against climate change must be global. The astronauts are not fixing or demonstrating a product but are part of a symbolic scene, supported by Saramago’s quote, using distance and perspective as analogy for the world’s need for collective action. The narrative is built around this symbolic representation rather than a literal depiction of environmental problems or product solutions.
ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats
1. Iberdrola – Market Positioning
Iberdrola positions itself as a global leader in renewable energy, emphasizing innovation and sustainability. It leverages a strong commitment to green energy transition, large-scale wind and solar investments, and digital transformation to deliver clean power while promoting energy efficiency and decarbonization across Europe and the Americas.
2. Engie – Market Positioning
Engie differentiates through its integrated low-carbon solutions combining renewable energy, energy efficiency services, and innovative technologies. It targets large industrial clients and infrastructure projects, focusing on accelerating the transition to carbon neutrality with flexible, customer-centric energy offerings worldwide.
3. E.ON – Market Positioning
E.ON centers its strategy on customer empowerment and smart energy solutions, pioneering digital platforms that enable decentralized renewable generation and consumption. It promotes sustainable practices by investing heavily in wind, solar, and green hydrogen, positioning as a partner for sustainable energy ecosystems primarily in Europe.
4. Acciona – Market Positioning
Acciona differentiates through a strong focus on sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy construction, with a vertically integrated model spanning wind, solar, and water treatment. It emphasizes environmental stewardship and innovation in engineering to foster sustainable development globally.
5. Enel – Market Positioning
Enel is strategically positioned as a multinational electric utility leader prioritizing decarbonization and digitalization. It combines massive renewable capacity expansion with smart grids and electric mobility solutions, targeting long-term sustainability and market leadership in Europe, the Americas, and APAC regions.
Q: What is United for a Wonderful World about?
A: United for a Wonderful World is a 2023 corporate campaign from EDP, developed by Havas Lisbon and produced by Krypton, targeting the global market. The campaign centers on the transformative Overview Effect experienced by astronauts, bringing together six astronauts of different nationalities on the moon to reflect on Earth’s beauty and fragility. Through a film set to Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World and inspired by José Saramago’s perspective-shifting quote, the campaign dramatizes the need for borderless collaboration in the fight against climate change. It underscores EDP’s international presence and commitment to renewable energy across Europe, North America, Latin America, and APAC.
Q: What creative device does United for a Wonderful World use?
A: United for a Wonderful World employs FORMAT#3 SYMBOLIZE THE PROBLEM, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. Rather than depicting environmental issues literally, the campaign uses the astronauts’ experience of the Overview Effect as a metaphor for the climate crisis. By positioning diverse astronauts on the moon, gazing back at Earth, the film symbolizes the artificiality of borders and the necessity of global cooperation. This symbolic scene, anchored by Saramago’s quote, leverages distance and perspective to encourage viewers to adopt a broader, collective approach to sustainability challenges.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for United for a Wonderful World?
A: The campaign proposition for United for a Wonderful World positions EDP as a global leader in the energy transition, advocating for urgent, collective action against climate change. The brand’s message targets a worldwide, environmentally conscious audience, emphasizing that sustainability is a shared responsibility transcending national boundaries. By leveraging the Overview Effect and a unifying narrative, EDP commits to becoming 100 percent renewable by 2030 and leading the shift to clean energy sources like wind, water, and solar power. The campaign aims to inspire broader perspectives and mobilize global collaboration for a sustainable future.
Q: How does United for a Wonderful World rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: United for a Wonderful World holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 69/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance within the context of contemporary environmental communication.
Q: Who are the competitors in EDP's category?
A: In EDP’s market category, major competitors include Iberdrola, which positions itself as a global leader in renewable energy through innovation and large-scale green investments; Engie, which focuses on integrated low-carbon solutions and energy efficiency for industrial clients worldwide; E.ON, which empowers customers with smart, decentralized renewable energy platforms primarily in Europe; Acciona, known for its vertically integrated model in sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy; and Enel, a multinational utility prioritizing decarbonization, digitalization, and expansion of renewable capacity across Europe, the Americas, and APAC.
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