BORDEAUX 2050

Bronze Eurobest

Case Film

Presentation Image

TitleBORDEAUX 2050
BrandAJE
Product/ServiceWINE BOTTLE
Category B02. Use of Ambient Media: Small Scale
Entrant McCANN PARIS, FRANCE
Idea Creation McCANN PARIS, FRANCE
PR WEBER SHANDWICK Paris, FRANCE
Production LES IMPRODUCTIBLES Paris, FRANCE
Additional Company M STORIES Paris, FRANCE
Credits
Name Company Position
Adrian Botan McCann WorldGroup Europe Global Executive Creative Director
Riccardo Fregoso McCann Paris Executive Creative Director
Julien Chiapolini McCann Paris Executive Creative Director
Sebastien Boutebel McCann Paris Creative Director
Guy Lewis McCann Paris Creative Director
Cesar Garcia McCann Paris Senior Art Director
Julio Alvarez McCann Paris Senior Copywriter
Mateo Fernandez McCann Paris Art Director
Clara Bazin-Vinson McCann Paris Art Director
Adrien Lavayssiere McCann Paris Art Director
Claire Pages McCann Paris Copywriter
Carmen Bistrian McCann WorldGroup Europe Creative Excellence Manager Europe
Esmee Khoujlani McCann Paris Creative Excellence Manager Paris
Bruno Tallent McCann Paris Chief Executive Officer
Cedric Vanhoutte McCann Paris VP, Global Business Leader
Erik Bertin McCann Paris Deputy General Manager in charge of Strategy
Palmyre Betremieux McCann Paris Strategic Planner
Lionel Courtiaud McCann Paris Head of TV
Matthieu Tombarelle McCann Paris TV Producer
Valentin Audubon McCann Paris Motion designer
Jefferson Lellouche McCann Paris Content Producer
Arnaud Pochebonne Weber Shandwick France Executive Vice President
Eloi Asseline Weber Shandwick France Senior Vice President
Emilie Barrail Weber Shandwick France Account Director
Cecile Pochard Weber Shandwick France Senior Associate
Gilles Beaujean M’ Stories Account Director
Alexandre Tissot Les Improductibles Director
Aurelie Chevalier Les Improductibles Producer
Romain Manson Les Improductibles Producer
Axel Balakrishnan Les Improductibles Assistant Director

Why is this work relevant for Direct?

Bordeaux 2050 was created to counter the lack of global action against global warming. Today, a large majority of governments do not take the necessary steps to act on it. Tangible proof was needed. The vintage was presented during a seemingly ordinary wine-tasting event at the Paris Museum of Wine, gathering key decision makers, who have a major influence on the course of climate change. By distilling abstract data of climate change into a brand of wine that people can hold and savor, Bordeaux 2050 literally put the responsibility of the future of our environment in their hands.

Background

It's a consensus in the scientific community that climate change will have increasingly drastic effects on the environment. Despite this fact, a large majority of governments do not take the necessary steps to prevent it from happening. The French Association of Journalists for the Environment is actively involved in drawing attention to the issue.This is difficult in the current media landscape, which is saturated with conflicting messages and fake news that typically comes with political bias. Their goal was to create a tangible demonstration of the future effects of global warming in a way that would resonate with people. Wine is a beloved part of French culture, which is globally renowned, but more importantly is also something that will be very negatively effected by climate change. They wanted to highlight this fact – and it was quickly determined it could done in a way much more compelling than conventional media.

Describe the creative idea

To give people the real taste of global warming, we decided to launch a new wine: we created Bordeaux 2050. We partnered with researchers, scientists and wine experts, who used climate and weather data projection on the next 30 years to simulate the exact taste of a Bordeaux grown in 2050, if climate conditions don't improve. The result is a diminished, bitter, unpleasant taste that forces people to viscerally experience the future consequences of global warming. By appealing to reason through our most indulgent sense, the result is emotional and terrifying but ultimately inspiring. It takes just a few sips to make people understand clearly that Bordeaux 2050 is not just a wine: it's the symbol of our responsibility as human beings. If we don't insist on sustainable practices from our government, our industries and most importantly ourselves, the world heritage as we know it will be lost.

Describe the strategy

Our starting point was a lack of consideration regarding climate change consequences. Despite worldwide awareness of global warming,in the two biggest CO2 emitter countries, only 56% of Americans and 18% of Chinese consider climate change as a major threat. As an average increase of 2°C over decades is not perceptible by the human body, people ignore the increasingly disastrous impacts on the environment already happening today. The French Association of Journalists for the Environment needed to make global warming more than just another news headline. We aimed to make it tangible and relatable to people. Our goal was to create a tangible proof of the future effects of global warming. This had to resonate emotionally with people in their present life, to make them realize the concrete consequences climate change will have on their life, and make them understand the urgency to take action.

Describe the execution

The first step was working with climatologists to gather weather data on the next thirty years. The second was partnering with oenologists and scientists to determine how that data effects wine made in Bordeaux. The third step was creating Bordeaux 2050 by making it with grapes from parts of the world that are already exposed to those extreme conditions. The result was an inferior composition: 2 to 4 degrees heat waves diminished the aroma, drought gave a bitter and drier taste and devastating frost and hailstorms caused fruit wastage. The special vintage of 400 bottles was sent to key-decision makers and climate skeptics. It was launched in the Museum of Wine in Paris with an event that gathered journalists, scientists, sommeliers as well as influential French politicians. Bordeaux 2050 emphasizes the evidence of climate change threat as it is distilled, packaged and branded into an object of beloved world heritage.

List the results

Bordeaux 2050 triggered a global conversation about the urgency to take action for the environment. It had a direct effect on government as well as public and private industry decision makers. Following the launch event, the French Association of Journalists for the Environment received support from the UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa. The association saw its funding by donations increase by 14%, its social media mentions by 27%. The launch generated 500 million organic impressions from outlets such as the Huffington Post, L'Express, Le Figaro, Franceinfo, and Science and Future. It received over 100 000 mentions on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. A breakthrough moment happened when the growing social media conversation inciting key politicians and companies to reconsider their stance and commitment on climate change.