BBC One‘s new five-part earth-science series “stars” Earth’s natural forces and how they work together to shape “A Perfect Planet.” Narrated by Sir David Frederick Attenborough, the first four episodes highlight the power of volcanos, the sun, weather, and oceans while the fifth one focuses on “a new dominant force,” says the natural historian. According to Attenborough, the final episode, which covers the human impact on the environment, is “the most important story of our times.” All five episodes are available now on iPlayer.

Initially, BBC’s billboards promoting the series featured some cute animals displayed across the UK. Yet, as the series approached its finale, the posters changed, looking like they were ripped apart. The first half of the panels read “A Perfect Planet,” while the second one raised the “But for how long?” question. But one OOH panel stood out in particular.

Coinciding with the series’ final episode, BBC erected a giant billboard in central Manchester, wanting to raise awareness on how humanity sends the planet off-balance. The OOH panel was imagined by BBC Creative, the broadcaster’s in-house creative agency, giving it a dramatic note by temporarily and falsely setting fire to the poster which portrays a monkey in its natural habitat.

The environmental-friendly vapor smoke, which was active for a half an hour period, accompanied the illustration, revealing the image of a destructive forest fire. Besides promoting the series, the interactive panel highlights BBC’s Our Planet Now campaign, the company’s “ongoing focus on the environment and the challenges facing our planet.” The public service broadcaster recently reported its target to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Helen Rhodes, ECD BBC Creative, said: “A Perfect Planet explains how our living planet operates, but also sends a stark warning of the damage we are doing and the consequences we face if we don’t act now. Our campaign is designed to support that sentiment, using the shock tactic of defacing our own poster to communicate the urgency of the crisis we face.”

Chris Hooper, Head of Marketing, BBC One, added: “Our Planet Now is the BBC’s ongoing commitment to providing impartial, vital information about the health of our environment: We want to help UK audiences navigate the complex issues around climate change and inspire positive change. The Humans episode of A Perfect Planet falls into this initiative, and we hope this billboard disruption will draw attention to the strand and prompt people to look more deeply at the wealth of remarkable Our Planet Now content we have on BBC iPlayer.”

About a year ago, to introduce Netflix / BBC series Dracula to the UK audience, BBC Creative honored the creature via posters that required artificial light to activate. By relying on the shadow art and placing some stakes in key positions, the silhouette of the vampire appeared, reminding earthlings of his presence.

Credits:

BBC Creative

ECD: Helen Rhodes

Head of Planning: Mike Lean

Head of Production: James Wood

Creative Director: Tim Jones

Creative Director: James Cross

Creative: Rachel Miles

Creative: Michael Tsim

Audio: Dominic Ross

Pictures: Jason Baron

Producer: Ivana Bohuslavova

Project Manager: Astrid Reiner

Planner: Leo Simonsmith

Design: Geraint Williams

Editor: Chris Knox

Sound: Lewis Clark

 

BBC

Marketing: Alice Gleeson

Marketing Manager: Sian Gray

Marketing Manager: Claire McDonald

Media Portfolio Lead: Hannah North

Campaign Planner: Vivien Tang