STUPID/SMART
The Banger Blog · a Stupid/Smart breakdown
Classic · 2017

The Palau Pledge

Palau Legacy Project · Host/Havas Sydney

From Stuart Alexander (campaign art director).

The insight

Every reef on earth has a 'do not touch the coral' sign, and every reef on earth gets touched.

The idea

Change immigration law so entry requires signing an eco-pledge, stamped into the visitor's passport.

The Stupid/Smart of it

Stupid: Asking a government to change statute for an advertising idea, and making the compulsory in-flight film a cartoon about how the passenger is a destructive oaf.

Smart: Adding friction to arrivals in a tourism economy is mad, but the border is the one moment the country actually controls.

Why it works

Only a sovereign nation can amend its own immigration law; no brand could copy the mechanic even if it wanted to.

A signed commitment in front of an official is a behavioural commitment device; the passport stamp travels home in a pocket.

The magic

Addressing the pledge to the children rather than to the government, which converts a rule into a relationship.

Idea-poweredIt works when you describe it out loud. You could brief this. Survives paraphrase.

The way in

The devices behind this one, from our library of ways in:

Make them sign somethingActually do it, don't fake it
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