In a recent study published in Current Biology, it has been revealed that two native species of flowering plants–Antarctic Pearlwort and Antarctic Hair Grass–are growing at scary and unprecedented rates in Antarctica due to climate change, based on historical comparisons between 2006 and 2019.
To coincide with the currently ongoing COP28 (11/30-12/12), the annual climate action conference attended by global government leaders, the non-profit Environmental Leadership Canada (ELC) and Zulu Alpha Kilo’s Toronto and New York offices teamed up to introduce “The Planet’s Scariest Bouquet,” a campaign designed to bring renewed attention to nature and what serves as a symbol of the wide-reaching impact of the climate crisis.
The campaign includes this digital film entitled “The Planet’s Scariest Bouquet,” featuring an unsettling arrangement of the now thriving Antarctic flowers. The video goes on to explain that flowers are given to “express love,” “convey sympathy” and “gratitude,” but this bouquet is a “symbol of inaction” and only exists as a result of climate change. The film urges our leaders to act and invites people to send digital versions of the bouquet to their government representatives. There will also be a physical bouquet–a replica of the flowers now growing in Antarctica–on display at the climate conference for decision-makers in attendance to serve as a stark reminder.
Environmental Leadership Canada is on a mission to make politics work for the health of our planet. Individuals are encouraged to share the campaign’s messages with their elected leaders by email or tag them on social media. Digital versions of the bouquet will be available at ScariestBouquet.com for anyone to personalize a message to world leaders.
“When the team found this insight about flowers thriving for the first time in Antarctica, we knew right away that was the story that needed to be told to the world at COP28,” said Zak Mroueh, founder and creative chairman of Zulu Alpha Kilo.
Tim Gordon, chief creative officer and partner in Zulu Alpha Kilo New York, added, “It was frightening to think that due to changing temperatures these flowers are growing in a way they normally wouldn’t.”
The film was produced in-house by Zulubot, the independent agency’s production arm, and directed by Ivan Mallqui, Michael Romaniuk and Can Yuksel.
