City of Sydney and the Australian Red Cross build The Burnt Christmas Tree to help communities rise from the ashes via DDB Sydney + Scoundrel
Over the past few weeks, the bushfires across Australia have cast a shadow on what should be the most festive time of year. To show the human cost of this devastation, but importantly hope for the resilience and recovery of our communities, a burnt Christmas tree has been built in Sydney’s CBD.
Designed by Scoundrel’s James Dive, the tree was crafted entirely with logs, branches and shrubs sourced from bushfire-affected areas of New South Wales. The tree is also decorated with burnt objects like a farm gate and bicycle and is topped with a star fashioned from a burnt-out bike wheel. These objects exist alongside signs of regeneration, including banksia seeds which require fire to sprout.
While the public are viewing the tree, they’re encouraged to listen to an audio tour reflecting on the experiences of Australians whose lives have been thrown into chaos by the fires.
Produced in partnership with the City of Sydney and the Australian Red Cross, Scoundrel, DDB Sydney, as well as its key partners Volkswagen Group Australia, Westpac and McDonald’s, created The Burnt Christmas Tree to raise funds Red Cross and their ongoing efforts to help people prepare for, cope with, and recover from disasters.
From today until Thursday 19 December, people can visit and make a donation to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund by tapping their card on the presents beneath the tree.
Says Tara Ford, chief creative officer, DDB Sydney: “The devastation to families and community is beyond what many of us can even comprehend. We hope this twist on the traditional symbol of giving and joy at this time of year will help capture people’s attention and provide them with an easy way to donate.”
Says Dive: “From arms’ length it can be difficult to comprehend the true impact of the bushfires on the ground. The act of collecting and building the tree from remnants of the fires has been sobering.
“We all want to help, and right now generosity is needed towards those who’ve lost everything, especially at this time of year.”
Creative Agency: DDB Sydney
Chief Creative Officer: Ben Welsh
Chief Creative Officer: Tara Ford
Deputy Executive Creative Director: Matt Chandler
Creative Partner: David Jackson
Art Director: Elaine Li
Copywriter: Jared Wicker
Senior Designer: Ramon Rodriguez
Head of Integrated Content: Renata Barbosa
Editor: Silas Basich
Senior Sound Designer: Andy Stewart
PR Agency: Mango Sydney
Managing Director: Tabitha Fairbairn
Head of Consumer: Ben Handberg
Senior Account Manager: Gina Leung
Production Company: Scoundrel
Artist: James Dive
Executive Producer: Adrian Shapiro
Director BTS: Selina Miles
Construction: Greg Sets
Client: Red Cross Australia
Director Engagement & Support: Belinda Dimovski
Head of Marketing & Communications: Astrid Mallard
Emergency Campaigns Manager: Kate Moore
Marketing & Campaign Coordinator: Sarah Gallagher
32 Comments
Cannes is so close you can feel it
Start building a shelf – this will pick up some shows. Nice work DDB.
This is really good, and really quick getting it off the ground, and I’m really jealous.
simple and powerful.
At least two agencies cashing in on bush fires for metal and THAT’S THE ONLY REASON.
We had a whip round and sent real money. No press release. No case study. No agency employees filming it for the video.
Is charity the ONLY thing Australia can do now?
Well you’re boasting about your humbleness now aren’t ya mate? Have a little faith that a great idea can be the catalyst for some worthwhile change. Everyone’s just doing their bit to help, and award incentive or not let’s show some support for people trying to make a difference. You have no idea what DDB’s intentions were so, pipe down.
What makes you think DDB didn’t donate?
well done!
Right in the feels – if only this came from Scomo
https://vimeo.com/360707245
Simple. Good.
Well, if the intentions are indeed altruistic, this will not be entered into awards. Instead, those entry fees will be donated to the charity they’re claiming to support. I really want to believe that they’ve done it for the right reasons.
Beat me to it mate.
You’ve hit number three on the Nice List. Nice work. There’s only 4 days left till Christmas (on Campaign Brief) so keep the nice comments coming. And you could end up with a free trip to the North Pole (of Australia). Cheers, Santa.
What you’re arguing for is that agencies shouldn’t try to use their creativity to raise awareness of issues that need attention, and funds to help make a difference.
In other words, you’re saying agencies shouldn’t do what agencies are expressly set up to do: use creative thinking to bring attention to products, services, and causes.
It’s not up to you to decide what their motive is. There are many people who want to change the world but also make a good living doing it.
And if they get an award out of it, that’s not necessarily cynical. It’s recognition of great thinking and great work. That’s what awards are for.
So maybe this is just good all round?
Some friendly comments from DDB as expected.
I doubt I’m the only one thinking how tokenistic this gesture feels. People have lost everything and your first thought is to glue the remnants together and stick them in a public place to help create awareness? Yikes.
Well done little buddy. Just think, a couple of years ago THE FISTER was questioning your worth. You’ve absolutely nailed it at DDB. Awesome.
If Westpac genuinely care they wouldn’t let the agency enter this into Cannes or any award shows.
And if DDB have any class they would 100% use the thousands and thousands of dollars in entries instead (we all know DDB enter a lot of Award shows) to support the bush fire victims. That would be the ultimate gesture. People have died, lost their homes and livelihood! The constant smell of thick smoke is a daily reminder and is affecting everyone across the state beyond the bushfire areas- particularly the elderly and infants.
What DDB do next with this idea would determine their true motive. I’d like to think they are genuine people but Cannes would tell.
Quote:
‘…if DDB have any class they would 100% use the thousands and thousands of dollars in entries instead (we all know DDB enter a lot of Award shows) to support the bush fire victim’.
Not going to happen – donating to bush fire victims isn’t a KPI. How much metal is won at Cannes is.
Correction to above comment. City of Sydney and Red Cross. Not Westpac.
Even the clients seem scamy.
The argument here is that DDB set up to support bushfire victims? Or was it the Red Cross?
DDB have absolutely zero obligation to donate anything – they were hired to bring awareness to the issue, which they’ve done beautifully.
That’s not what they said at all. They made a valid point that if the agency genuinely cared about the plight of those affected by bushfires they wouldn’t be interested in spending money on award entry fees. Money that could be spent either donating directly to the appeals or increasing the awareness of the tree. I really like the idea and think it’s wonderfully executed, I just think our industry already has a bad enough name without people trying to piggyback on the misery of bushfire victims. It’s a really nice folio piece but I wouldn’t want my name on this award entry.
I grew up in a bushfire area. I’ve seen what fires do to communities and homes. And I think this idea is worthwhile.
Because my experience is that a lot of people who’ve grown up in the city, away from the realities of the fires, don’t actually get it, until they see it up close, or are told about it by someone who has experienced it.
You can write it off as awards fishing, and it could be, but no matter the intention the reality is that bringing these bits of the carnage to the city and placing them on display can help bring the reality of the fires to those viewing from a distance. Marry this with the giving spirit of Christmas and it has the potential to bring about donations from a whole lot of people who wouldn’t have otherwise considered it.
Is there any human misery advertising won’t exploit for metal?
No, of course not. Silly question!
Finally an agency doing scam work that will potentially make a difference to those that need it, unlike Leena. Well done to all.
Fire.
This should have way more media amp than what it’s had. Amazing job!
I know the guy who came up with this and it started as a ground-up idea to help victims affected by the fire. Was in no way an agency led award grab.
Your lame reasoning of “just donate the money” is shortsighted and displays a woeful misunderstanding of how the world works.
Of course, this will be entered for awards. Awards can help agencies get more clients, which means more money and can spend more time doing pro-bono. And so the cycle goes.
Iwwa
Does that matter? nope. Is this going to rise money for victims? Yep.
Do you know who helped no one and did nothing to make the world a better place, all you sad lemons writing cynical spiteful drivel on Campaign brief.
Does that make me a slight hypocrite? Maybe.z
Top idea!
This isn’t good.
This could never be good.
This could only be terrible.
The fires, that is. Horrific. If they’re not life and property destroying, they’re soul destroying.
Hats off to a team for trying to do something about it.
Now if we can only get our politicians to do something about this, even better. And if this installation sparks something inside the heads of the soulless thoughts and prayers who infest Macquarie Street Parliament, even better still.
Every effort should be praised. And if you’re really angry about this, go pick up a fucking hose and join your local volunteer fire brigade.
They need you.
#koalakiller #morrisonfires #berejiklianfires #berejiklian #smoco #hawaii
You’d have to be a special kind of bitter person to get mad and argue over an idea like this. Well done on getting this up so quick. Can’t wait to see how much coin it actually makes, and regardless – it’s more than our PM has done.
This is a great idea, once again executed beautifully by James Dive and his Scoundrel team who get it.