COP28 Zero-Carbon Future
The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) is the United Nations annual climate conference, held in Dubai in 2023 bringing together governments, scientists, advocates, policy and industry experts from every corner of the world.
The Project
Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is one of the leading voices in the global climate advocacy field, providing research, technology and industry analysis, economic and policy solutions to get to a zero-emissions, high-energy planet at an affordable cost. At COP28, CATF hosted their second Zero-Carbon Future pavilion and partnered with us to develop the branding and marketing for this high-profile effort.
Services Provided
Strategy
Branding and naming
Pavilion design
Collateral design
Digital advertising
Video and motion graphics
The Challenge
The energy system is one of the biggest contributors to global warming and conferences like COP are an important platform for governments, organizations and leaders to share perspectives, discuss challenges and seek consensus on the solutions that will move progress forward. CATF’s Zero-Carbon Future pavilion and accompanying efforts required branding that stood out from the sea of green and challenged the traditional environmental design and communication norms. The design needed to reflect the organization’s unique approach and positioning as a thought leader.
The pavilion hosted climate advocates and industry experts from around the world who took on critical climate and energy topics. Signature events explored the challenges and opportunities to transform the global energy system and everything from the pavilion design, collateral branding to the campaign messaging needed to amplify the urgent need for a more diverse portfolio of technologies and low-carbon energy options needed to make progress.
The Solution
In a highly polarized world, a multinational, multisectoral cooperation that applies non-conventional, yet pragmatic thinking and policy innovation can prove to be a useful engine for change. Our team knew the importance of designing a brand that emanates urgency, while at the same time communicates excitement around emerging technologies and policy breakthroughs.
By developing a logo mark that speaks to the dynamic needs of the moment and need for timely investments, we were able to break away from the standard environmental look and set a new tone. The bold, bright colors reflected the bold ideas behind CATF’s solutions and the brave approach to policy, technology, and system transformation advocacy.
The Logomark
The logomark was designed to evoke an immediate reaction and provide a clear sense of direction. The clean graphic elements highlighted CATF’s future-forward thinking and desire for disruption that immediately placed the organization in a class of its own. In a space filled with green and blue images of melting icebergs and calls for “green action,” the Zero-Carbon Future branding was a needed reprieve where realism mixed with tech innovation, cross-sector partnerships and non-dogmatic policy and technology solutions.
“What we aimed to express with the bright color combinations and clean, tech-inspired look was an alternative vision for climate and energy transformation. CATF’s standard brand colors were complemented by magenta and orange hues that conveyed momentum, urgency, and unmatched confidence. We knew the pavilion would become a hub for dynamic conversations on topics that are often considered taboo, which is why every detail— from typography and imagery to colors and directional graphic elements— was intentionally chosen to reflect the groundbreaking nature of the events held inside.”
Boriana Strzok, Creative Direction, Founder & CEO, 5IVE
The Brand Application
A key objective for the organization was elevating the voices of those most impacted by climate change, especially in regions outside of the Global North, and highlighting their need for economic development, access to energy, and finance. Establishing powerful visual narratives that complement the event content was an important part of the brand application. The design of the space intentionally drew attention to the minimal but powerful messaging that was included throughout the pavilion, allowing the Zero-Carbon Future branding flexibility, balance, and a positive experience.
Supportive collateral like presentations, swag, additional signage, and digital screens were designed to give visitors an immersive experience and elevate the equity and prestige of the organization as a leader in the field.
Raising Global Awareness via Paid Media Campaign
In addition to the activities at the conference, a global paid awareness campaign was designed and launched to elevate the organization’s efforts with key stakeholders, supporters, and influencers who were following the conference from afar.
COP28 came with its own controversy – being held in Dubai, many activists and climate wonks saw this as an attempt by oil producers to greenwash their share of the impacts of global warming. CATF’s call to decarbonize the energy system with a more robust portfolio of energy solutions beyond traditional renewables like nuclear, and their cross-sector approach to developing technology and policy solutions outside of the traditional environmental movement, was a key driver for the tone of the campaign.
Knowing that global media would be closely following COP28 and considering the timing of the conference, which coincided with end-of-year giving and donor activation, created a unique opportunity for CATF to cut through the noise, drive attention to its expert activities on the ground, and elevate fresh messaging aimed at the traditional climate narrative.
Leveraging the increased search volumes of keywords related to COP with paid search ads drove a significant amount of new traffic to the site and exposed the organization to hundreds of thousands of new visitors who would otherwise be unaware of CATF’s efforts and contributions.
Additional Google Display and Discovery ads targeted key news and industry sites, as well as key airport and policy hubs like Brussels and Washington, DC. The ads reached record high click through rates, drove millions of impressions and exposed more industry and policy leaders, environmental wonks and concerned citizens to CATF’s impact, leading to an increase in donations and site engagement.
- 43.6MImpressions
- 1,044New email sign-ups
- 100%Increase in new site users
“We chose to work with 5IVE because of their sophisticated, multi-faceted and strategic global approach to tackling the urgent issue of climate change. Their ability to develop an integrated strategy with superb branding and implementation has driven millions of people to our site and millions of dollars of revenue into the organization.”
Marge Anderson, Former Senior Director, Events & Engagement, CATF
Next Project:
Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative Identity Design