Agency for Nature Returns to Build Love for the Most Important Client on Earth: Nature
The first of its kind, Agency for Nature - a pop-up creative agency dedicated to all life on Earth, created by Purpose Disruptors - returns for Season Two with another pan-industry collaboration across the advertising industry.
Agency for Nature was established to focus the advertising industry’s unique creative talents on addressing the growing disconnect between humans and the natural world. Five top UK creative agencies - AMV BBDO, Iris, VCCP, Droga5, and House 337 - have seconded a pair of rising creatives to the ‘pop-up’ agency with one goal: Build universal love for the most important client on Earth, Nature.
Lisa Merrick-Lawless, co-founder of Purpose Disruptors, shares, “The advertising industry is excellent at meeting people where they are by tapping into subcultures. Imagine if we applied this creativity to help young people connect with nature, in the way you might for a sports or a make-up brand? 84% of us live in cities in the UK so rolling hills and deer do not represent our everyday outdoors. We are working with the best young creatives to develop campaigns that make nature feel close to our lives and part of our culture (like music or fashion) - not something distant or ‘over there’. We believe this can truly shift the dial on people’s relationship with nature.”
Xavier Rees, group CEO, AMV BBDO says, “Being part of the Agency for Nature was a no-brainer. This brief isn’t just about a campaign - it’s a chance to tackle one of the most critical challenges of our time - helping fix our broken relationship with nature. Giving our creatives the opportunity to work on something this meaningful is not only inspiring for them but it’s helping shape the future of advertising too.”
The Agency for Nature was created in response to research showing Britain ranks bottom for nature connectedness in Europe and UK Citizens measure lowest for their feeling of ‘oneness with the natural world’. New research in October from Anglia Ruskin University found "UK adults experience less of a connection with nature than adults from most other countries” ranking 59th out of 65 countries surveyed – showing the situation isn’t improving. This disconnect is partly driven by fast-paced, high-consumption, materialistic lifestyles.
Further research from the Agency for Nature and YouGov shows that only 42% of young people (18-34) feel connected to nature, which is the lowest of all polled demographics. Youth focus groups conducted by the Agency for Nature and Youth Insights agency Seed revealed that young people describe their relationship with nature as 'toxic,' 'neglectful,' and 'inconsistent', underscoring the need to support young people to reframe their relationship with the natural world. Young people living in urban areas have complex relationships with nature and shifting identities sits at the heart of this, with a myriad of social and cultural factors compounding this divide.
This season, Agency for Nature will focus on helping young people in urban areas embrace nature as a core part of their identity. The Agency seeks to close the gap between nature and culture, bringing nature closer to the lives and lifestyles of young people in UK cities, by tapping into subcultures relevant to younger demographics. The initiative is also a vital opportunity for the next generation of creative superstars to flex their imaginative muscle and apply their talents to briefs that support human and planetary well-being.
This builds on the first season, which reached 10 million young people through campaigns spanning sex, psychedelia, and gaming, Agency for Nature was described as “game-changing climate communications.”
An ecosystem of partners is rallying to support Agency for Nature Season Two. The JCDecaux Community Channel has partnered with Agency for Nature, providing access to Out-of-Home screens across the UK. Meta is supporting the campaign to enable reach across Instagram and media agency MG OMD is offering advisory support for the campaign duration. Locate Productions, specialists in low-carbon shoots, are joining as the key production partner.
Angus Light, low-carbon producer and co-founder, Locate Productions says, “We’re so excited to be part of this initiative. We believe the skills, talent, and expertise within the UK production sector will play a key role in creating campaigns that maximise positive impact and inspire behaviour change. A collaborative approach is essential - working together with a shared vision for a future we all want and need. Briefs that embed this approach into the production process nearly always result in a higher calibre of work. Really looking forward to seeing the result".
The agency launched with an immersive briefing at Walthamstow Wetlands, featuring a guided nature walk led by wildlife TV presenter, author, coach and co-founder of Flock Together, Nadeem Perera, who is an expert in connecting communities with the outdoors.
Nadeem Perera, wildlife TV presenter, coach, author & co-founder of Flock Together, says, “For too long, people have been made to feel that nature isn’t for them - that they’re unwelcome in outdoor spaces. But I see every day how much it changes people, when they connect with nature on their own terms. My work as a youth football coach has taught me that the next gen can become interested in the natural world but it has to be packaged and delivered in the right way which is disruptive, non-traditional and culturally sound.”
This initiative builds upon Purpose Disruptors’ Good Life 2030 UK Citizen Visions report, which shows that what people in the UK most desire in the future is a life of deeper connection - with nature, as well as with themselves and others. The initiative aims to facilitate the advertising industry’s shift towards a more sustainable, climate-conscious future.
The campaigns will be produced over a 12-week period and will launch on 14th February.
