UPDATE (28 Mar, 2012): Earlier today, Hector Magallon of Greenpeace Mexico (hear him talking about a similar campaign below), told us that a group of activists unfurled a 20 x 10 meter banner from a hotel that is in front of the Mexican president’s office. The banner reads: “Calderon: Cancel Cabo Cortes” (see a photo below).
Last week, Greenpeace Mexico launched a campaign to protect Cabo Pulmo, one of the world’s most robust coral reefs. Cabo Pulmo, on the eastern side of Baja California (near Los Cabos), is a national marine park designated by Mexico in 1995.
The government, however, authorized construction of a large tourism project of up to 27,000 hotel rooms. By comparison, Cancun has 30,000 hotel rooms.
The scope and potential disruption of the project is significant yet raising awareness of the remote project – and moving people to act – is challenging. The team chose tap into the news cycle and play upon high interest (from public and media) in the presidential election.
Hector Magallon of Greenpeace Mexico shared some background on the campaign with us during the Digital Mobilisation Skillshare last month. Here, Hector talks about a 2008 Greenpeace Mexico campaign that also tapped into high public interest in presidential politics.
VIDEO: Vota y Salvemos Cabo Pulmo
This is the video that helped launch the campaign to protect Cabo Pulmo last week:
Takeaways
- Works with the news cycle. People are asked to “vote” to support Cabo Pulmo, a nod to this year’s high profile presidential election.
- Celebrities engaged and having fun. It’s not just a gloomy story of environmental destruction.
- Integrated offline/online activities. At launch, the campaign set up “polling” places around Mexico to let people vote offline. People can also download materials to collect votes, register events they organize, and upload photos.
