Earth Hour 2012 'I will if you will' campaign launched

MANILA, Philippines - Earth Hour has launched“I Will If You Will” – official 2012 campaign to showcase how everyone has the power to change the world they live in.  

For the first time, Earth Hour, to be held on March 31, is taking a creative leap from its annual lights out event to offer a further opportunity for its communities to be part of actual environmental solutions.  

Earth Hour began as a single-city initiative in 2007 and has since grown to be a 5,251-city strong global movement, reaching 1.8 billion people in 135 countries across all seven continents.

Earth Hour Philippines has led the global switch-off since 2009, ranking number one globally in terms of town and city participation for three consecutive years.

A record-breaking 1,554 Philippine cities and municipalities switched off in 2011, 1,076 in 2010, 647 for 2009 and over 50 during the country’s inaugural Earth Hour switch-off in 2008.

From 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm on March 31, WWF-Philippines will again stage Earth Hour to inspire Filipinos to switch off their lights and dare their friends to save planet Earth.

The “I Will If You Will” digital platform is the result of an alliance between WWF, Leo Burnett, and YouTube – merging the world’s biggest social video platform with the world’s largest environmental event.

Promise, challenge for Planet Earth

The ‘I Will If You Will’ campaign uses the YouTube video platform to empower people to share a personal dare with the world by asking everyone what are you willing to do to save the planet?

The concept of ‘I Will If You Will’ centers around providing a social contract between two parties – connecting one person, business or organization to a ‘promise’ and their friends, family, customers or members to a ‘challenge’ – uniting them behind the common goal of creating a positive environmental outcome.

The Earth Hour YouTube platform hosts a global library of ‘I Will If You Will’ challenges, while encouraging people to share their ‘dares’ publically through Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and email. Friends can be invited to participate and accept each challenge using these popular social networks.

The simple promise can range from recycling, to switching to energy-efficient light bulbs, turning off your mobile charger, or signing up for paperless banking.

Public and private sector allies sought

WWF is now seeking official partners for Earth Hour 2012. Says Earth Hour Philippines national director Atty. Gia Ibay, “We call on corporations, local governments, media networks and other organizations to stand with us for this year’s switch-off. When public and private sector forces unite – then we will be able to effect change on the scale required to change the world.”

Past corporate champions include McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Philips, Ayala Malls, SM Supermalls, Meralco, Shangri-La Hotels, the Yuchengco Group of Companies and many others.

Current partners include ABS-CBN, GMA-7, TV5, Discovery Channel, Global News Network, The Philippine STAR, Philippine Daily Inquirer Online, Aftercall Magazine, Radyo Veritas, DZIQ, Globaltronics, Photoworld Manila and Ang Sawari Ko. WWF expects the list to grow as the switch-off approaches.      

Earth Hour 2012 is set for 8:30 pm on Saturday, March 31 – wherever you are on planet Earth.