After more than three months of activity, the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano was declared to be over on December 25, 2021. “Awakened” on September 19, the eruption of the volcano on La Palma is known as the longest (and the most damaging) one on the island since records began. Although there were no injuries or deaths linked to the eruption, thousands of people were evacuated, and more than 2,900 properties and large areas of farmlands were severely damaged.

But there is hope… Hope to help the island overcome this challenge and support it in building a new future. Plátano de Canarias, an institutional brand under which the bananas that grow in the Canary Islands are marketed, gives a helping hand to the island, providing the “ink” it needs to write a new chapter.

Plátano de Canarias is a variety of bananas, grown in the archipelago of the Canary Islands, and an economic resource that many businesses rely on. Sadly, the eruption has put over 5,000 banana growers in the face of a new challenge, having to fight against the ashes that invaded their crops.

The ash is present in most parts of the island. To relaunch, La Palma needs the commitment and support of Spain for the following years. To share a kind, encouraging message around Christmas, and as a way to show its solidarity and pay a tribute to the island, Plátano de Canarias invites the audience to watch La Palma recovering from the tragic event, using actual ashes from the volcano.

Creatively developed by the Madrid-based agency LOLA MullenLowe, the initiative includes a short, animated video in which the audience sees the difficult situation that La Palma went through lately being turned into fuel for hope. The story is painted with actual ashes coming from the volcano and follows the life of the island and its inhabitants tirelessly working to build a new future.

In less than a minute, we witness the ambition, courage, and hope that inspires the protagonists to turn a negative event in the life of their community into constructive behavior and, thus, happy emotions. In this context, the ashes are creatively used to symbolize a future in which the island rises from the volcanic eruption.

The rebirth of La Palma is accompanied by the music of Canarian singer Rosana, who altruistically joined the project: “As a Canarian, this campaign touched my heart since I heard Luis about it. It makes me happy that my music helps share a message of hope to all the people of La Palma for a product as crucial as the Plátano de Canarias. I am sure that with everyone’s help, we will be reborn from the ashes.”

“We wanted to create a memorable tribute campaign for all the people from La Palma. We couldn’t think of a better tribute than a campaign made with the volcano’s ashes, as a potent symbol of hope and reconstruction,” explain Manu Castillo and Enrique Torguet, Associate Creative Directors from LOLA MullenLowe, under the executive creative direction of Tomás Ostiglia.

The “From the Ashes Reborn” campaign also stands as a nice way to encourage people all over the world to take action and contribute to helping the island in its recovering process and help the inhabitants to get back on their feet.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes was the Glasgow School of Art’s famous Mackintosh Library as well. Destroyed by a fire in 2014 and in an attempt to help restore the building, the “Ash to Art” initiative was launched. As part of the project, the art school invited 25 artists to turn some of the building’s remains into art. The pieces were then actioned at Christie’s London, the collection raising over £700,000. Sadly, another fire, happening in June 2018, significantly damaged the Mackintosh Building.

Credits:

Client: Plátano de Canarias

Agency: LOLA MullenLowe