Wirz and WWF receive worldwide media coverage with uncomfortable winter sweater
Wirz launched the world’s most uncomfortable Christmas sweater for the environmental organization WWF—and in doing so, took a stand against climate change. Thanks to numerous press reports and social media posts by celebrities, hundreds of orders were placed worldwide.
Climate change is not a myth. Temperatures are rising, glaciers and poles are melting, more and more species are becoming extinct. Our lives will change drastically if we do nothing about it. The truth about the state of our planet is unpleasant and uncomfortable, according to a press release. But who wants to hear it?
Wirz has found an answer to this dilemma for WWF Switzerland: the uncozy sweater. At first glance, it is simply another kitschy Christmas sweater, like those that are omnipresent during the Advent season, but at second glance it is a direct call to action. Instead of the usual happy snowmen and reindeer, it shows the consequences of climate change: rising temperatures, rising sea levels, hurricanes, an ecosystem in imbalance.
The sweater, designed by the creative minds at Wirz and made in Switzerland from the purest organic merino wool, went on sale at the beginning of December. For 195 francs, anyone could make a fashion statement and contribute to the fight against climate change at the same time.
The campaign took off immediately: Spurred on by a number of press reports and social media posts from top models such as Ronja Furrer, Tamy Glauser and Nadine Strittmatter, FCZ star Marco Schönbächler, snowboarder Nicolas Müller, pop stars Nemo, Lo & Leduc, Bligg and Sophie Hunger, the first edition of the sweater sold out in less than 24 hours.
Soon afterwards, the first media reports arrived from abroad - TV reports from France, news reports from Taiwan and Argentina. By the end of the year, contributions from 38 countries had piled up - and hundreds of pre-orders from all over the world.
"I am extremely happy about this campaign," summarizes Jan Schlink, Head of Publishing & Campaigning at WWF Switzerland. "After shifting the focus from animals to people with last year's Wirz umbrella campaign and emphasizing the responsibility of each individual, the Uncozy Sweater now brings our concerns in the climate focus area closer to a new target group."
The sweater is both a real collector's item and a clear message carrier: if something doesn't happen soon, you probably won't need a sweater at all in winter. The campaign is expected to be continued globally by WWF in 2018.
Responsible at WWF Switzerland: Jan Schlink (Head of Publishing & Campaigning). Responsible at Wirz: Livio Dainese (CCO), Niels Schäfer, Simon Smit (CD), Antonia Frind, Adrian Schräder (Storyline), Naomi Gulla (Graphics), Calvin Kroehne (XLAB), Anne Langer (Strategy), Tiffany Gaggia (Consulting), Bettina Fässler, Erasmo Palomba (Art Buying). Photography: Dan Cermak. Film: Xaver Walser. Postproduction: South-t.
