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METER Group

2020

Meltdown Flags

Glacier retreat, redrawn into national flags

A nation's flag, losing its white as its glaciers retreat.

Core concept team. Then the making: worked with the studios on the data design, the flags, the AR filter and the site.

Made withMETER Group, Moby Digg, Hyperinteractive · with Eduardo Alvarez, Kai Westschlosser, Jan-Martin Hopf, Sandra Valencia, Daniel Kuhnlein · and 38 others

Year
2020
Client
METER Group
Role
Creative, Serviceplan Innovation
Also on
Behance ↗Eurobest ↗

01

Problem

Glaciers are a source of life — they hold 69% of all fresh water, providing millions with drinking water, power and irrigation. If global warming isn't stopped, they'll be gone by 2050. But that reality stays buried in climate data, far from everyday life.

02

Idea

Put the data where it can't be ignored — a nation's own flag. Reduce the amount of white in the flag to visualize how far that country's glaciers have retreated, and let national pride carry the message: even the most patriotic citizens react when their flag changes.

03

Execution

Hand-sewn flags that first appeared at COP25 in Madrid in December 2019 and became a protest symbol worldwide; a website to explore glacier retreat country by country and download the flags and typeface; an exhibition concept with lenticular installations that shift with the viewer's position; an Instagram AR filter activated by the flags; and MD-Font, a variable typeface whose weights — MD-1995, MD-2020, MD-2050 — let protesters represent the meltdown itself.

04

Impact

Adopted by climate movements as a real protest object, from COP25 onward. Recognized with a Red Dot Grand Prix, a Cannes Lions Silver, a Webby, and a D&AD Wood Pencil, among many others.

Flag, font and glacier retreat, animated together
United States, 1995 to 2050
United States, 1995 to 2050
India, 1995 to 2050
India, 1995 to 2050
Canada, 1995 to 2050
Canada, 1995 to 2050
The flags
Each flag is sewn by hand
Each flag is sewn by hand
Meltdown Flags and a Stop the Meltdown banner, flown from a rooftop
Meltdown Flags and a Stop the Meltdown banner, flown from a rooftop
Meltdown Flags
Meltdown Flags
Meltdown Flags
The Meltdown Flag for France, hung over a wall
The Meltdown Flag for France, hung over a wall
Meltdown Flags
The flags at protests
The website on mobile
Meltdown Flags
The project website
Meltdown Flags
Lenticular installation, from the exhibition concept
Meltdown Flags
The Instagram AR filter, activated by the flags
Building the Instagram AR filter
Building the Instagram AR filter
MD-Font: MD-1995, MD-2020, MD-2050
Meltdown Flags
Meltdown Flags
Meltdown Flags
On social media

Recognition

  • Red Dot

    Grand Prix + Best of the Best · Brands & Communication (2021)

  • Cannes Lions

    Silver · Digital Craft + 3 Shortlists (2021)

  • Webby

    Gold · Best Use of Data Driven Media (2022)

  • ADC Annual Awards

    Gold · Data Visualisation + Silver ×3 + Bronze (2021)

  • ADC Deutschland

    Gold · Interactive Media + Silver ×3 + Bronze ×2 (2021)

  • Clio Awards

    Silver · Design + Bronze ×3 · Digital/Mobile, Graphic Design, Art Direction (2021)

  • Andy Award

    Gold · Idea (2021)

  • D&AD

    Wood Pencil · Data Visualisation (2021)

  • One Show

    Bronze · Creative Use of Data (2021)

  • Golden Award of Montreux

    Gold · Public Interest (2021)

  • Deutscher Digital Awards

    Silver ×2 · Digital, Content (2021)

Press

Full credits44 credited +

Serviceplan Group

  • Alex Schill · Global Chief Creative Officer
  • Matthias Harbeck · Chief Creative Officer Germany
  • Jason Romeyko · Worldwide Executive Creative Director

Serviceplan Germany

  • Franz Röppischer · Executive Creative Director
  • Lorenz Langgartner · Executive Creative Director
  • Michael Wilk · Executive Creative Director
  • Therese Stüssel · Creative Director
  • Sandra Loibl · General Manager
  • Britta Tronke · General Manager
  • Jan-Martin Hopf · Senior Art Director
  • Michael Lux · Senior Art Director
  • Stephan Westerwelle · Senior Art Director
  • Eduardo Alvarez · Art Director
  • Saurabh Kakade · Creative
  • Sandra Valencia · Copywriter
  • Laura Bergler · Junior Copywriter
  • Kai West Schlosser · Junior Art Director
  • Thao Vu · Junior Art Director
  • Dennis Fritz · Senior Motion Designer
  • Karin Schmitz · Senior Production Manager
  • Martin Rackel · Account Management
  • Julia Nicolaisen · Account Management
  • Leonie Casper · Intern Account Management

Serviceplan Spain

  • Clara Illán · Account Executive

METER Group

  • Christian Hertel · VP Marketing
  • Scott Campbell · CEO

Moby Digg

  • Maximilian Heitsch · Design Director & Coder
  • Sebastian Haiss · Coder
  • Gabriela Baka · Designer
  • Marco Kawan · Designer
  • Niklas May · Coder

Standardabweichung

  • Daniel Kuhnlein · Creative Coder

Hyperinteractive

  • Dieter Pries · Digital Director

Veni.tv

  • Lipa Lizaso · Executive Producer
  • Gabo Gertner · Producer
  • Yaiza Ríos España · Production Assistant
  • Santiago García Suarez · Second Production Assistant
  • Diego Llorente Aguilera · Director
  • Jairo González Pérez · Camera Operator
  • Cristina Campos · Second Camera Operator
  • Federico Gutierrez Lopez · Photographer

Aldesign

  • Hussein El Rayess · Lenticular Artist

Mediaplus Germany

  • Lukas Pachoinig · Creative Media Manager
  • Sabrina Duchow · Creative Media Manager
DataTypeARClimate
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