The challenge:

With just over two weeks to go before Earth Hour we got a call from the WWF. They didn’t have an office in Quebec anymore. They had limited French capabilities. Earth Hour was around the corner and Quebecers were not yet on board. Oh, and there was a $10,000 budget. Would we help them out? Of course! We were honoured to work for this brand.

The idea:

The day we got the call a couple of our creative guys were sitting around late in the afternoon, throwing ideas against the wall. It wasn’t going well. We were tired, concerned with deadlines and budget and cranial warming. Suddenly the sun went down, the lights were off, and there we were, looking for ideas. We started giggling. We realized that Montrealers don’t just sit there when they turn the lights off. They move, act, drink, dance, love, talk, eat or something. So we created the inaugural Ideas in the Dark.

The strategy was to build an event so unique and creative that it would generate free media and promote Earth Hour. The ultimate goal was to show how a simple act (like turning off the lights) has the potential to affect great change. We wanted to change the course of things by turning gestures into habits.

The plan:

We designed our approach in three time periods: before the event, D-Day, and after the event. We knew we couldn’t do it alone so we secured two key partners: LaSat for its high tech gear and people, and Laprod, event management specialists.

Our creative concept

The event:

-Brainstorm in the dark: we organized a brainstorm that would bring thinkers, philosophers, designers and environmentalists together to think in the dark. Their job was to identify seven initiatives that make Montreal the most eco-creative city in the world. Our favourite idea is a national bartering day in Quebec: one person’s junk is another person’s treasure.

-Art in the dark: a photo-shoot by Yako and Varial to show how creativity can be applied to another kind of dark art. The resulting exhibit is astonishing and beautiful.

-Music in the dark: we found an eco-conscious pop band, the aptly-named National Parks. They played in front of the world’s first flashlight mob and choreographed songs with flashlights and marionettes. Orange-Orange, an electro band, played a full set with a single generator. They really rocked it.

Online:

-Before the 28th: The pre-event version of the site was designed for buzz and creative legitimacy. It became the world’s first web site that could only be read in the dark.

-D-Day: On March 28 anyone in the world could follow the event live on two cams - and many did in North America and Europe, including cousins in Dublin.

-After the 28th: In the days following the event we posted, well, everything on our site: http://www.ideasinthedark.ca

-Facebook flash mob: the inaugural Facebook-flashmob invited Facebookers to change their photos to our logo.

Public Relations

-The mayor: In the week before the event we launched our public campaign at City Hall. Mayor Gérald Tremblay supported us in writing and the City became a presenting partner.

-The event: Over 350 people showed up for Ideas in the dark. Each visitor participated by writing down thoughts and/or suggestions on post-its that created a giant eco-mosaic.

-Others: Other Montrealers were prompted to organize their own Earth Hour events, and did. The artist Madame Brown invested her money and invited artists to her loft. Over 100 people attended the catered red carpet event, where another photo shoot was held featuring members of the Cirque du Soleil, and others.

-Partners: Several important Montreal production houses shot their own videos-in-the-dark, all posted on the site.

Results:

Our media department estimates we earned over 2,188,000 views in print, television and web sites from ‘trustworthy’ numbers. Most of the clippings are posted on the site. That, and the Mayor said he’s ‘in!’

-Media Highlights:

--Web: 33mag.com, the most popular webzine for Quebecers aged 15-24, 13 min. clip.

--Print: The Globe and Mail wrote 2/3rds of a page on the event.

--Industry: Strategy Magazine wrote a story for the Cannes issue.

--TV: CBC TV did a piece before the event