Saving the real world by doing good in the virtual world

Where Virtual Philanthropy Creates Real-World Change

To mark Work Cleanup Day, WWF Germany opened a virtual museum aimed at saving the natural world — the first of its kind in the Immersive Web (Metaverse). Co-created alongside Savespecies, and Publicis Groupe, it featured an immersive showroom which invited visitors to explore the exhibits and pledge their support for projects spanning the species and environmental protection spectrum.

"With the opening of ‘OceanDetox,’ we want to bring attention to the urgency of the plastic crisis and at the same time actively contribute to fighting it. Our virtual exhibition room will continue to grow in the future and support species protection — as a digital Noah's Ark, so to speak.’’
— Etienne Kiefer
Artist and project concept creator, Savespecies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-HlSlhQV90

Virtual exhibition ensures global visibility on urgent issues

Not So Fun Fact:
Up to 23 million tons of plastic waste from land end up in the world's waters every year — that’s the equivalent of about two truckloads per minute. Animals get trapped in the garbage or mistake it for food, often dying in agony. It’s estimated that 90% of seabirds and half of all sea turtles swallow pieces of plastic. To top it all off, plastic waste decomposes over the years into tiny microplastic particles, which accumulates in the food chain, causing further destruction.

So how do we bring attention to this dire situation?

Partnering with Journee, WWF created a hyper-realistic, inspiring virtual world, which centered around a 3D whale composed of 50 floating plastic waste objects. What’s more, the exhibit featured buyable NFTs to support the real global plastic crisis facing our seas and oceans worldwide.

"Following the huge and ongoing success of our Non-Fungible Animals campaign, we are excited to once again deliver a project that uses the digital space to do good in the real world with smart and resource-saving solutions. For this, we are once again generating attention by combining technological innovation and meaningfulness. We thank Journee for their support to run this experience on their platform."
— Karl Nowak
Business Development & Digital Strategy, WWF Germany

Evocative digital worlds inspire charitable giving

6216 visitors | 6.02 minutes average visit

Donations are the powerhouse that make WWF’s work possible. With this in mind, the campaign focused on inviting visitors t o immerse themselves in the diverse habitats - educating through experience, thereby prompting donations. The evocative nature of the digital environment served as an immersive educational platform and ensured that WWF stayed long-term in the hearts and minds of the attendees. ‘OceanDetox’ was at once a highly emotional, alarming and impactful experience for all who stopped by.

Charitable organizations set to increase activity in the space

By bringing art and conservation together in the Metaverse, people came together in the spirit of giving like never before - something that would have never been achievable in an in-person exhibition setting. Leveraging Web3 capabilities (namely, the selling of NFTs) highlighted the power of innovative eCommerce within the charitable giving space, setting the stage for future activity in the sector.