Mother’s storytelling talks directly to the next generation of Greenpeace activists

At a time when many charity ads feel like an awards-grab by the agency involved, this film from Greenpeace and Mother clearly puts the cause right at the centre of the work. It’s also a great example of the impact of strong storytelling.

Actress Emma Thompson narrates the tale of an orangutan named Rang-tan wreaking havoc in a little girl’s bedroom, destroying the houseplants, throwing away the chocolate and howling at the shampoo.

The girl asks the ape what it’s doing there, and the harrowing response describes everything that humans are doing in Rang-tan’s rainforest; destroying the habitat and killing off the wildlife in the quest for palm oil.

John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace, says: “A decade ago we persuaded brands including Nestlé, Unilever and Mondelez to sign global commitments to drop dirty palm oil from their products by 2020 – but with just 500 days to go, their progress is pitiful. Orangutans have been pushed to the very brink of extinction, indigenous peoples’ lives are threatened and climate change is accelerating.”

The animated film is aimed a inspiring a new generation of activists. Let’s hope they are watching.

MAA creative scale: 8.5