Outdoor Nation

A marketing campaign designed to persuade one million children to enjoy the benefits of Nature has been launched.

The UK-wide campaign is big, bold and innovative – to be seen on billboards, in maternity units and on screen. Running the campaign is filmmaker David Bond, who has appointed himself Marketing Director for Nature, in an attempt to advertise the benefits of nature to the nation.

“According to UNICEF we are raising the unhappiest kids in the developed world. Fewer than 10% of children play in wild places, compared with 50% a generation ago, kids roam far less and half of kids have been stopped from climbing trees, and 20% from playing conkers or tag.

“The lure of the indoors – with TV, the internet and computer games – is creating a generation that has no connection with the natural world. My kids are 3 and 5 and they scream if I switch off the TV. I’m now fighting to get my kids back before it’s too late. I’ve spoken to teenagers across the UK many of whom say, ‘Why would I want to go outside – staying indoors is much more fun’. I don’t want to hear that from my children.

As well as a traditional advertising campaign, Project Wild Thing will deliver:

•  Out and About baby packs for new parents. After giving birth and alongside the ubiquitous Bounty Pack, mothers will receive a pack to help them think about how they can spend time outside with their baby. Run as a trial study across three major hospitals, this pack will aim to tackle the problem at the source by encouraging parents to help their kids be outdoors right from the start.

• The Wildtime app, available from projectwildthing.com, is a technological toy that delivers information about where the best fun is really to be found. Wildtime is designed to help parents and kids who are looking for fun in the outdoors, but are not sure where to find it.

• A Wild Pledge for people to sign that affirms commitment to the natural world by pledging to match screen time with outdoor time. By gathering signatures, Bond is attempting to lobby government for more natural learning and playtime in schools.

The Project Wild Thing website links organisations and other campaigns in Britain that help get kids, and families, out into the wild. The website will become a central hub for families to find out how to leave the indoors behind, providing information, suggestions and opportunities for getting in touch with nature. Over 800 people have signed the Project Wild Thing pledge in the first few days of the site going live.

David Bond said: “I’m blown away by the number of people wanting to join the campaign. Big brands like Apple, Shell and BP all use symbols of nature to advertise their products for a profit. I am advertising nature because it’s good for you and it’s free. My crusade is one small step towards encouraging people to spend less time watching screens, and more time outside.”

The Project Wild Thing campaign challenges parents and children in towns, cities and the countryside across the UK to leave behind the cosy indoors and get outside into the wild. With the help of advertising and marketing experts, Bond’s goal is to persuade one million children of the benefits of Nature – an amazing, free, wonder-product – in just two weeks.

“Spending time outdoors is fun, it’s good for you and it’s free. Given the opportunity, kids love being outdoors. They just need to be given the opportunity. If we don’t act now, a generation of children will miss out on developing a fundamental connection with nature. Without future custodians of the natural world, who will look after our planet 50 years from now?”

Bond’s marketing campaign is being filmed for a documentary and is backed by Arla, Britdoc, Good For Nothing, National Trust, NHS Sustainable Development Unit, Play England, Play Wales and Playboard NI. The British feature-length documentary PROJECT WILD THING, is being produced by film producers Green Lions, in conjunction with the BRITDOC Foundation. It is due to be released nationwide in cinemas in Summer 2013. A major campaign to encourage children to spend more time in nature will accompany the film’s release.

This first phase of the Project Wild Thing campaign runs nationwide until Sunday 16th September 2012. You can follow the campaign’s progress on Twitter @wearewildthing