Sid Lee agency created a new dollar bill which increases its value if the federal government invests in a green and just recovery. The valuable banknote was designed with a coalition of Canadian grassroots groups including the Green Budget Coalition, the Strathmere Group, CAN-Rac, Corporate Knights, and the Task Force for a Resilient Recovery, led by the David Suzuki Foundation, underlining the real importance of green investments, as the Canadian government plans to rebuild the country’s economy.
The dollar banknote comes in at a time when most countries around the world try to address COVID-19’s effects on the economy. Based on recent research and calculations by economists at Corporate Knights made for Canada, the creatives hope that the initiative would be adopted by other countries around the world.
Recent calculations show that for every $20 bill invested in a green and just recovery, $307.85 would be contributed to Canada’s GDP within 10 years. Via the “Green New Bill” campaign, Canadians are invited to explore the $307.85 virtual bill and discover the real socioeconomic impacts of a green recovery, ranging from job creation to lowering global emissions, to saving money on energy bills.
Ralph Torrie, Senior Associate, Sustainability Solutions Group and environmental expert, said in a statement, “We can lay down a foundation for wealth creation, create a huge number of jobs [and] put Canada on a pathway to being carbon-free by 2050 while restoring and supporting nature in the process. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make the changes that are necessary to get on the road to economic and environmental recovery.”
The audience is invited to explore the bill through an AR experience by using the custom-made Instagram filter. According to the agency behind the project, the bill is a nice way to mobilize and educate the country’s citizens regardless of their political affiliations. It also aims to inspire people around the world to put pressure on their respective representatives and decision-makers to go for an economically- and environmentally- sustainable future.
“For this campaign, we wanted to create a powerful and educational symbol to show everyone that a green recovery is also good for the economy,” said David Allard, Associate Creative Director at Sid Lee. “We’ve transformed the look of the Canadian twenty-dollar bill to put a tangible number on the return on investment, in addition to helping preserve our planet, as a strategy to encourage people to take ownership of this knowledge and use it to make a difference,” adds Jonathan Lavoie, Associate Creative Director at Sid Lee.
“We want to show all Canadians, in an interactive way, that investing in a green and just recovery can help us solve multiple major crises at once,” concluded Ralph Torrie.
A $20 bill can turn into $307.85. This small investment in the green economy can generate more jobs and will help unlock important aspects of the climate and biodiversity crises.
Credits:
Client: David Suzuki Foundation, Diego Creimer
Agency: Sid Lee
Executive Creative Director: Kristian Manchester
Co-Creative Directors: Jonathan Lavoie, David Allard
Art Director: Philippe Cossette
Graphic Designer: Sarah-Jeanne Turgeon
Proofreading and Translation: Marie-Claude Demers, Chelsey Lam
Group Account Director: Justine Trudeau
Account Supervisor: Annie Dufresne
Group Strategy Director: Elisabeth Jamot
Strategist: Pauline Desprès
Director, Content: Nicolas Naulevade
Content Strategists: Élie Brisebois, Lucie de Closets
Community Manager: Myriam St-Aubin
Producers: Jean-Pierre Marcotte, Marie-Christine Côté
Production Coordinators: Laurie Perron, Marie-Ly Cormier
Print Producer: Maxime England
Director: Thomas Fortier
Editor: Benoit Marcoux
Editing Assistant: Sonya Nadon
Colorist: Béatrice Tremblay
Sound Mixing: Le Confessionnal
Augmented Reality Integrator: Pascal Monette