UNCCD COP16 - GIVING A VOICE TO THE LAND

Despite more than 3.2bn people globally being impacted by land degradation, it lacked the public awareness and political prioritization it deserved. UNCCD COP16 needed to break through this barrier, engaging diverse audiences worldwide, from policymakers and scientists to local communities and youth. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also placed a high priority on educating citizens and instilling pride in the fact that Riyadh would be the first ever country in Middle East to host a major UNCCD event. The timing of COP16 also presented a further speed bump with the risk of ‘COP fatigue’, given that the event would be third UN environmental convention to be hosted in as many months. Against this backdrop, Burson’s Middle East office took on the challenge to deliver cut-through communications, using data and analytics to inform every step of the 360o-strategy it devised that included stakeholder engagement, the creation of an AI MetaHuman to educate local citizens, significant risk mitigation at a time when geopolitical conflict was escalating at an alarming rate in the Middle East, in addition to a powerhouse of media relations and social engagement.

The challenge was to create a compelling narrative that both educated and inspired action, while showcasing Saudi Arabia's commitment to environmental stewardship – all within less than 120 days from the start to end of the project.