Project Wild Thing launched

Date: 25 September 2012

Location: National Campaign

NATIONWIDE CAMPAIGN ATTEMPTS TO CONVERT ONE MILLION CHILDREN TO THE BENEFITS OF NATURE

A marketing campaign, backed by the NHS Sustainable Development Unit and the National Trust, has been launched aiming to persuade one million children to enjoy the benefits of Nature.

Project Wild Thing is a UK-wide campaign to be seen on billboards, in maternity units and on screen.

“According to UNICEF we are raising the unhappiest kids in the developed world. Fewer than 10% of children play in wild places, compared with 50% a generation ago, kids roam far less and half of kids have been stopped from climbing trees, and 20% from playing conkers or tag."

As well as a traditional advertising campaign, PROJECT WILD THING will:

• Produce OUT AND ABOUT baby packs for new parents. After giving birth and alongside the ubiquitous Bounty Pack, mothers will receive a pack to help them think about how they can spend time outside with their baby. Run as a trial study across three major hospitals, this pack will aim to tackle the problem at the source by encouraging parents to help their kids be outdoors right from the start.

• Launch the WILDTIME app, available from projectwildthing.com, is a technological toy that delivers information about where the best fun is really to be found. WILDTIME is designed to help parents and kids who are looking for fun in the outdoors, but are not sure where to find it.

• Produce A WILD PLEDGE for people to sign that affirms commitment to the natural world by pledging to match screen time with outdoor time.

The PROJECT WILD THING website links organisations and other campaigns in Britain that help get kids, and families, out into the wild. The website will become a central hub for families to find out how to leave the indoors behind, providing information, suggestions and opportunities for getting in touch with nature. Over 800 people have signed the Project Wild Thing pledge in the first few days of the site going live.

The Project Wild Thing campaign challenges parents and children in towns, cities and the countryside across the UK to leave behind the cosy indoors and get outside into the wild. With the help of advertising and marketing experts, Bond’s goal is to persuade one million children of the benefits of Nature – an amazing, free, wonder-product – in just two weeks.

The marketing campaign is being filmed for a documentary and is backed by Arla, Britdoc, Good For Nothing, National Trust, NHS Sustainable Development Unit, Play England, Play Wales and Playboard NI. The British feature-length documentary PROJECT WILD THING, is being produced by film producers Green Lions, in conjunction with the BRITDOC Foundation (britdoc.org). It is due to be released nationwide in cinemas in Summer 2013. A major campaign to encourage children to spend more time in nature will accompany the film’s release.

For further information contact:
Ashley Jones, Producer, Project Wild Thing
ashley@greenlions.com / 07881 828 928 / projectwildthing.com

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