Brand campaign

Once Extinct, You Can Only Imagine

I was the strategic lead for RSPB’s “Once Extinct, You Can Only Imagine” campaign, which transformed a spark of childlike imagination into a powerful call to action. This campaign was born from a simple yet poignant insight: if the magnificent albatross were to vanish, future generations would know it only through stories and guesswork. We asked London schoolchildren to imagine what an albatross might look like, eat, or where it would live – questions that yielded delightfully wild answers. Those whimsical drawings and descriptions became the heart of our creative idea, even inspiring the campaign’s name and tagline: “Once extinct, you can only imagine”. By tapping into kids’ curiosity and empathy, we found a fresh way to get Londoners caring about a species at risk.

Once we had this imaginative concept in hand, the project team rolled out a wide-reaching campaign that brought the children’s creations to the streets (and screens) of London. Commuters encountered the albatross in unexpected places: vibrant posters in major rail stations, cross-track billboards brightening the Underground, and playful “tube card” ads inside train carriages. We even produced short video clips of the kids’ interviews to play on Transvision screens at key stations, making sure the message hit home during rush hour. To boost our reach and credibility, we partnered with the London Evening Standard, blending eye-catching ads with supportive editorial coverage. At every turn, Londoners were met with a charming yet poignant reminder that real albatrosses need our help – before they become creatures of imagination alone.

As the campaign’s strategic lead, I managed every facet of its development and launch, guiding both in-house teams and agency partners toward a unified vision. I worked closely with BLAC, our creative agency, to shape and refine the storytelling approach – ensuring the children’s artwork and voices remained authentic and impactful. In parallel, I coordinated with the media planners at JAA to map out an integrated strategy, carefully selecting channels and prime locations that would make the biggest splash in our target urban market. This hands-on leadership across creative development, agency collaboration, and on-the-ground execution kept the campaign true to its imaginative core while delivering it with maximum impact.

“Once Extinct, You Can Only Imagine” not only captured imaginations; it also revitalized RSPB’s presence in London. By sparking curiosity and compassion, we engaged a younger, more urban audience on a scale never seen before for the charity. The campaign helped shift public perception of the RSPB from a quaint birdwatchers’ club to a dynamic, globe-reaching conservation force. This project remains a highlight of my portfolio – a shining example of how a little imagination (and a lot of strategic coordination) can take wing and achieve real-world results.