The non-profit environmental organization Evergreen and its Toronto-based agency partner Open want you to know that getting dirty gets things done.
That’s the message behind the new campaign “Get Dirty,” which aims to educate Canadians about what it takes to build greener, healthier cities while inspiring and empowering them to get involved.
The campaign features print ads running in Canadian Gardening, posters, online ads and social media execution. All creative elements feature hand-painted slogans with messages including, “I’m dirty,” “I think dirty all the time” and “Get dirty with me.”
According to Martin Beauvais, creative partner at Open, the goal of the campaign is to raise awareness for his client’s organization, getting people to sign up for its newsletter and donate time and money. The tongue-in-cheek approach is an attempt to give Evergreen a bit of edge and is a nod to the non-profit’s roots as a hands-on organization.
“To get a better world, you have to get your hands in the dirt,” Beauvais said. “The campaign name is also linked to Evergreen’s past when they were an organization planting trees and cleaning up parks. We have to get dirty before we get clean. And there’s more to it than just planting trees.”
Beauvais said “Get Dirty” is aimed at eco-conscious, city-dwelling adults aged 24 and older with “a concern for the health of their city.” The campaign soft launched in September with an event at Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works (an environmental centre and event space), which gave passersby a platform to speak their minds: with portraits taken by Toronto-based studio A Nerd’s World, supporters wearing campaign headlines of their choosing had the opportunity to share their photos on social media.
This is the first work Open has done for Evergreen since winning the account in January. “Get Dirty” launched last week and will run for a year, with future roll out plans expected for 2014.
