Wikipedia Says “Knowledge Is Human” in Latest Campaign

VIRTUE Worldwide, the agency that powers culture, has unveiled its new brand campaign for Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia created and edited by people around the world. 

The campaign was launched at a time in the US when consumers are looking everywhere for reliable knowledge they can trust. Wikipedia is one of the top ten most visited websites globally — with no ads or algorithms, and no motive except to share reliable knowledge with all. Wikipedia is viewed more than 15 billion times every month, but many visitors are simply unaware of its inner workings. The Wikimedia Foundation, the non-profit that operates Wikipedia, in partnership with VIRTUE Worldwide, has rolled out a new campaign that demonstrates how Wikipedia is an evolving platform that comes to life through the power of collaboration, and through various systems in place to keep information on the platform fact based and neutral . Enter, “Knowledge is Human.”

The campaign features trucks kitted out with digital billboards showing how contextually relevant Wikipedia articles like “Democracy”, “Rats in New York City” and “Skateboarding” are developed and edited by human contributors, as they travel around New York and Los Angeles: from Chinatown to Broadway, Santa Monica to West LA.

The creative offers insights into the Wikipedia editing model, emphasising everything that makes Wikipedia unique, human and collaborative. The campaign shows that no matter the topic, Wikipedia’s knowledge is constantly being verified and refined by multitudes of people: “Knowledge is 5.7 updates per second. Knowledge is 26 million contributors. Knowledge is human.” 

And it hit home. The out-of-home campaign successfully reached 4.5 million Americans both on social and through IRL interactions with the activations, and drove a whopping 56% increase in visitors to the Wikimedia Foundation website.

The powerful new US campaign highlights the role of hundreds of thousands of volunteers from across the globe that come together to curate information that is backed by reliable sources, to help present trustworthy information to the world. Together they are a true power force driving facts and information in today’s chaotic landscape.

Zack McCune, director of brand, The Wikimedia Foundation said, “We’re living in a world that feels defined by online echo chambers, misinformation, and polarised opinions. This leaves people around the world increasingly sceptical of their information sources. Wikipedia is different; it’s a place people can trust because it is made by people using verified sources. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers debate and fact-check content to keep it consistently updated and improving. The 2024 ‘Knowledge is Human’ campaign, in partnership with VIRTUE Worldwide, showcases this model, online and in the real world, sharing the joy and the transparency of Wikipedia and its commitment to collectively  building content people can trust.” 

Chris Garbutt, co-president, VIRTUE Worldwide added, “When we collaborate, debate, and refine knowledge together, we ensure it remains a trustworthy resource. One that transcends divisions and becomes our common ground. Few brands can claim to add as much value to consumers and the world at large as Wikipedia and this campaign has revitalised the important conversation around misinformation, and how it impacts our world at a crucial time in the US. The results speak for themselves - this message matters to Americans right now.”

The campaign highlights that information can be manipulated by the few, but verified by the many, and spotlights the role we all play in shaping a shared understanding. Hundreds of thousands of Wikipedians constantly work to ensure each source is accurate, an incredible testament to innately human collaboration.