Koala's of NYC

IN THE SUMMER OF 2019/2020, AUSTRALIA WAS RAVAGED BY ITS WORST BUSHFIRE SEASON ON RECORD. 1 BILLION OF THE COUNTRY’S UNIQUE WILDLIFE, KILLED.

and koalas of nyc was born

1.9
Billion Reached

To connect New Yorkers to this heartbreaking tragedy, Koalas of NYC was born. An initiative designed to evoke compassion and empathy through a compelling storytelling mechanism, went viral in less than a month.

72hrs from concept to delivery

In January 2020, plush koalas were placed in prominent locations all over New York City. Attached to the koalas was a QR code directing folks to donate to Australia’s largest wildlife rescue and rehabilitation charity, WIRES.

150+
World Locations

Koalas of NYC then took the world by storm. The campaign was championed by fans in London, LA, Las Vegas, and beyond from people all over bringing the initiative to their own city. Voluntary celebrity support included Jennifer Aniston, Katie Holmes, Lewis Hamilton and Lewis Capaldi. With over 40 celebrities, 152 news outlets and ongoing fundraising events worldwide, Koalas of NYC captured the hearts and minds of advocates from all over.

152
News
Outlets

In an effort to meet global enquiries, Koalas of NYC even launched an online portal for supporters to replicate the campaign in their own city through the production of digital custom city tags and a link to buy the plush koalas.

"Heroic Effort"

Overwhelming global demand prompted the toy supplier to donate proceeds from koala purchases to the cause, driving a record number of koala plush sales, all while captivating a social audience and garnering worldwide media attention.

"A rallying symbol"

At the request of one of the nation’s most distinguished institutions, Koalas of NYC has been enshrined in the National Library of Australia as part of the library’s ephemera collection in an effort to capture not just the relief effort, but also the “amazing assistance and support received from across the globe in response to the devastating bushfires.”

Donations exceed
400%

This campaign appealed to collective impact by encouraging people to join a community that would affect change. It communicated through visual language with a thoughtful photography strategy and had a meaningful call-to-action that brought a tangible solution within reach. It invoked emotion with intention going beyond simply sharing a message, and told a story.

GLobal Activation
in 23 days

Using a device, scientifically proven to make people care and invest their attention, Koalas of NYC became a universal symbol of compassion to save the world’s most unique animals.