Microsoft announces Koto-developed 2024 sustainability campaign
Koto is teamed up with Microsoft to help the latter “develop … [its] 2024 Sustainability campaign”, just in time for this year’s Earth Month.
The announcement:
Brand and digital studio Koto partnered with Microsoft to develop their 2024 Sustainability campaign, strategically scheduled to coincide with Earth Month 2024. The campaign aims to showcase Microsoft’s commitment to sustainability, highlighting the transformative role of AI under the theme of “Reimagine climate action.” Koto worked closely with Microsoft’s Brand Studio to develop the campaign’s messaging, visuals, and assets, emphasising how people are using AI to bring a greener future faster than was possible before.
Microsoft and its partners have been leveraging AI to drive sustainable impact across their operations, customer solutions, and global engagements for several years. This includes initiatives such as achieving carbon negativity, water positivity, zero waste, and protecting ecosystems. Additionally, Microsoft is actively involved in global sustainability efforts like the Climate Innovation Fund and other policy development.
As part of this commitment, Microsoft’s 2024 Sustainability campaign revolves around the idea that people are using AI to accelerate the deployment of sustainability solutions, making them faster, more cost-effective, and more impactful than before.
To convey this message effectively, the 2024 Sustainability Moment campaign revolves around the idea of “Reimagine climate action.” Central to this theme are illustrations that seamlessly blend realism with imagination. Koto collaborated with French illustrator Alexis Jamet, renowned for his captivating artwork. Alexis’s illustrations evoke hope and progress, bringing Microsoft’s vision for a more sustainable future to life.
Illustrations and motion graphics take center stage in the campaign, showcasing Microsoft’s dedication to carbon neutrality, water conservation, waste reduction, and biodiversity. The visual language, marked by optimism, with subtle visual nods to the computational power of AI. incorporates educational messaging, emphasising the positive role AI is already having in helping people protect our planet.
“Sustainability is a very important yet highly difficult topic to communicate in a general campaign like this one. Sustainability is embedded in our DNA, it’s one of our brand values, and our sustainability work stretches across every product, every business and every solution. The challenge is in striking a balance of communicating the intense innovation we are fueling at the company and with partners, and at the same time admitting that we don’t have all the answers and that there is even more work to be done. And then turning it into a design system that can visually represent the hope and optimism we have for the future, rooted in the truth of our technology, and inviting conversation and dialogue,” explains Sven Seger, GM of global creative at Microsoft.
“We worked with the team at Microsoft to create a campaign that is unapologetically hopeful in its design language, and encouragingly specific with its copywriting. Creating dreamy illustrated close-ups of nature and a brighter future, paired with messaging that gives us tangible cause for hope, educating people about the impact AI is already having. Lending a credible foundation to the positive visual language of AI. Through the use of texture and color, we lean into the uplifting visual language of the world of AI, turning up the brightness and zooming in on nature. By bringing real-world art direction and illustrative elements together, we paint a picture of a world of abundance and joy. A celebration of people and planet”, explains Sam Howard, Koto creative director.
The 2024 Sustainability campaign rolls out today to celebrate Earth Month across Microsoft’s global brand touchpoints, including their company website, social media, email communications, and Microsoft employee Teams backgrounds.
Source: Koto
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