Seizing on the powerful notion that protecting forestland far away could have a direct impact on environments at home, we created the “Lost There, Felt Here” campaign. The participatory centerpiece was a multimedia experience that brought a simple proposition to life: all it takes to start reversing climate change is the protection of a single acre at a time. To encourage prospective donors to give $15 to protect an acre of their own, we created informative animations that brought to life all the diverse wildlife their chosen acre supports, and provided pathways to view behind-the-scenes stories on Conservation International’s global efforts to address this critical environmental issue. And to make the interaction as social as it was emotional, we housed the experience in an interactive virtual forest where acres could be tagged, saved and shared.
In an increasingly cluttered space, the Protect an Acre experience has made an impact online — and even more importantly, continues to impact the world offline. To date, more than 22,000 acres have been protected, raising more than $330,000 in donations. On the post-launch analytics side, Conservation International enjoyed a 38% increase in site traffic and a 20% lift in average session length. The experience has also resonated within the industry, with the effort garnering a Webby, a Gold New York ADDY and the WebAward for Non-Profit Standard of Excellence.