Small Creatures Take a Big Step to Campaign for Change in RSPB Films

Blue Zoo, the Emmy and BAFTA-winning animation studio, has collaborated with GOOD Agency to craft a series of short films for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) to support engagement with young audiences under the banner 'We Campaign Because They Can't.' 

The partnership between two pioneering B Corp organisations combines Blue Zoo's expertise in animation and storytelling with GOOD Agency's innovative approach to creating impactful campaigns for social good. 

Damian Hook, Blue Zoo's head of shortform and advertising, reflects on the collaboration, "Embarking on this project with GOOD Agency was brilliant. It's rare to find another team whose values align so perfectly with ours, especially in the pursuit of crafting powerful messages for the greater good. The collaboration felt natural, culminating in a series of short films that we are immensely proud of." 

The campaign builds on the RSPB’s longstanding aim of being a leading voice that advocates on behalf of nature (e.g., the RSPB’s X account handle ‘@natures_voice’) and plays on this idea with each film featuring an animal attempting to engage in human-like campaigning against the destruction of their natural habitat, but ultimately, unfortunately failing. ‘We Campaign Because They Can’t’ urges the viewer to take a stand against the crisis facing the UK’s wildlife and join the RSPB on its mission to save it.  

The campaign balances humour with urgency and is based on insights from IPA that shows humour is one of the most effective tools to make advertising stand out but has been in continual decline over the last decade.  

Bryn Attewell, the executive creative director of GOOD Agency, said, "When we initially proposed the concept 'We Campaign Because They Can't', we saw a great opportunity to bring humour into this campaign whilst highlighting a serious issue. Showcasing how wildlife needs human intervention was a strong message and one ideal for animation, which is why we felt Blue Zoo was the perfect partner." 

The films aim for a tactile, miniature set look inspired by the works of Wes Anderson, an influence that extended into the cinematography as well. During the project, the short form and advertising team embraced new techniques to challenge the studio’s existing pipeline and further integrate Blender into their workflow. They utilised Blender's rigging capabilities with their in-house rigging team for the first time, leveraging its geometry nodes system to create the intricate groom for all characters and environments.  

The films are a testament to the creative teams' ability to balance humour with urgency. Director Dane Winn adds, "Our goal was to create an emotional connection with the audience; making them laugh, reflect, and act. The charismatic characters we've introduced carry the weight of their message with a hopeful note, encouraging viewers to support the RSPB’s mission." 

Alice Hardiman, director of campaigning and mobilisation at RSPB says, “More than 80 percent of 16–24-year-olds agree that nature benefits their mental health and wellbeing, but access to nature isn’t equal, with young people facing particular barriers. Content about the nature and climate crises can be daunting, so finding innovative ways to tell stories is crucial. We want to give young people every chance we can for them to take part in campaigning activities, big and small.  

“Through a blend of organic content such as our TikTok account and targeted campaigns like this, working with our Youth Council, not to mention the free access to our reserves for young people, we're confident we're starting to cut through.” 

The campaign launches today, 11th July and will run across Facebook and TikTok, as well as featuring on the RSPB website. 

Stay tuned for more details on this collaborative venture and how you can make a difference by visiting https://www.blue-zoo.co.uk/animation/rspb. Bringing together two B Corps, this collaboration strives to be a force for good on behalf of our voiceless wildlife friends and their habitats.