Tree Of Hope – A WhatsApp Adventure

Objective

WWF sought to reverse climate apathy among young people overwhelmed by negative news by creating an innovative awareness campaign about Germany's 8,000+ nature reserves. The organization needed to reach digitally-native audiences where they spend most of their time—on WhatsApp, which boasts 90%+ message open rates—to communicate the urgency of expanding and maintaining protected areas to comply with EU environmental law.

Solution

WWF and creative studio Charles developed the world's first fully automated WhatsApp adventure game, where players assume the role of an EcoNinja making choices to rescue forest animals and restore ecosystems. Guided by the Owl of Protection character, users navigate the game over approximately 20 minutes through WhatsApp's native interface—button taps, lists, images, PDFs, and videos—activated by texting 'OPEN GAME' to WWF's WhatsApp number, scanning QR codes, or visiting treeofhope.world. The experience was built using Charles's Journeys platform, leveraging automation to deliver complex interactive storytelling without requiring human support staff. The game incorporated AI-generated imagery to enhance the forest conservation narrative.

Results

Tree of Hope – A WhatsApp Adventure won prestigious D&AD and Webby Awards in 2024, recognized in the Games category for public service and social impact by Webby.