North America has lost millions of acres of native wildflower habitat, directly endangering one of the most important pollinators on Earth: The Monarch butterfly.

In the last two years, the Monarch butterfly’s population in eastern North America has declined by 80% due to plow-up.

Each year Monarch butterflies embark on their migration across these Great Plains to settle in the forests of Mexico, where they play a vital role in helping crops produce new seeds for indigenous communities. Preserving the Monarch butterfly’s hibernation areas in Mexico means safeguarding habitats that provide necessities, such as these crops and drinking water for more than five million people in the Mexico City metropolitan area.

Our objective was to amplify the "Together for the Wildflowers and the Monarch Butterfly" and increase awareness of the endangerment of the Monarch butterfly, while connecting the brand purpose to the cause.

The Monarch butterfly holds great significance for the people of Mexico. It is not only a beautiful and iconic symbol of their culture and natural heritage, but also plays a vital role in the country's ecosystems and economy. The Monarch butterfly is considered a keystone species, meaning that its presence has a significant impact on the surrounding ecosystem and biodiversity. As such, the preservation of the Monarch butterfly's habitat and migration patterns is critical not only for the survival of this species but also for the overall health and well-being of Mexico's people and environment.

By leveraging the cultural and economic significance of the Monarch butterfly, the "Together for the Wildflowers and the Monarch Butterfly" campaign earned the attention and support of the Mexican audience, inspiring a sense of pride and ownership in the preservation of the butterfly's habitats.

Our strategy focused on creating a strong narrative, rooted in the cultural relevance of the Monarch butterfly, about the critical issue of pollinator endangerment and its impact on local communities and the environment. We used a brand purpose model based on the pillars of restoration, protection, local partners, and aromatic gardens to guide our efforts, and partnered with the WWF Mexico to ensure the campaign's credibility and impact.

Our target audience was diverse and included conservationists, consumers, and the media across Mexico. To reach them, we designed a comprehensive media relations program that included interviews with WWF spokespersons, a virtual roundtable event, social media and influencer engagement, and content creation in support of the Monarch butterfly. By leveraging a multi-channel approach and collaborating with key stakeholders, we were able to create a powerful and engaging PR campaign that successfully raised awareness, drove action, and had a positive impact.

The campaign was executed over several months, beginning with the development of the brand purpose model and messaging framework in 2021. The strategy included media relations, a virtual roundtable event, social media, influencer engagement, and local partnerships to establish aromatic gardens and restore native wildflower habitats through 2022. It kicked off with a round of interviews with WWF spokesperson to present the issue and current state, while sensitizing journalists to the issue.

"Together for the Wildflowers and the Monarch Butterfly" officially launched in Mexico with a virtual roundtable that united the World Wildlife Foundation, brand spokespersons and the country’s top media and influencers for the cause. Media and influencers, inspired by the conversation, created content in support of the Monarch butterfly, reaching conservationists and consumers across the country and increasing awareness of the issue.

The campaign was renewed for 2022 and 2023 after its successful launch in 2021.

In its first year alone, the project had significant positive impact on the environment, local communities, and the species itself:

100% positive coverage

5.5M+ people impacted

750K trees restored

60 indigenous women engaged around the creation of aromatic gardens

35 permanent jobs created for indigenous women

870 temporary jobs created

35% increase in the Monarch butterfly population during the last hibernation