'TAKE A BREATH' FORMULA E AND UNICEF'S POWERFUL CAMPAIGN ON AIR POLLUTION.
OVER 6 MILLION VIEWS ACROSS PAID AND SOCIAL
MOST SUCCESSFUL PIECE OF NON-RACING CONTENT FROM FORMULA E THAT YEAR
362 EARNED MEDIA MENTIONS
To draw attention to how air pollution affects young people, Formula E collaborated with WING to bring their groundbreaking partnership with UNICEF’s Safe and Healthy Environment (SHE) Fund to life. The result was ‘Take A Breath’, a moving, single-shot spoken-word film fronted by UNICEF ambassador Tom Hiddleston and amplified by the authentic voices of young activists around the globe. The campaign was executed as a multi-faceted comms and activation across key digital channels in the build-up to the London E-Prix.
The Challenge
Formula E’s long-term partnership with UNICEF, initiated in April 2021, centres around the UNICEF SHE Fund - a programme designed to ensure children can grow up in sustainable, pollution-free environments. In 2022, Formula E honed in on one critical pillar of the SHE Fund: Reducing Emissions and Pollution.
WING was tasked with producing a content-driven campaign that would:
AWARENESS
Raise awareness about the dangers of air pollution to young people.
PARTNERSHIP
Showcase the evolving partnership between Formula E and UNICEF.
AMPLIFY
Amplify UNICEF's broader work around climate change.
BOOST
Boost visibility of the London E-Prix event.
The core challenge was to address shocking statistics, like the fact that 93% of children under 15 breathe polluted air daily, while crafting an empowering, optimistic message that celebrates the power of collective progress.
The Creative Solution
Concept Development
At the heart of the campaign was a simple but powerful idea: to humanize the abstract threat of air pollution by giving it a voice - and, crucially, the voices of those that it affects the most.
The film was envisioned as a single, unbroken shot to underscore the passage of time and unyielding need for action. Set inside an immersive gallery space designed to represent the inner world of a child's mind, the poem delivered a haunting but ultimately hopeful message: a call for humanity to ‘take a breath’ and reconsider the choices shaping the future.
Collaboration with UNICEF's Youth Advisory Board
Authenticity was crucial. WING partnered closely with UNICEF’s Youth Advisory Board, a group of inspiring 14–18-year-old campaigners, whose recorded voices were interwoven into the film. Their insights and genuine activism provided a vital emotional layer, grounding the piece in real, lived experiences.
Additionally, archive footage of youth-led climate protests from around the world were incorporated to visually reinforce the urgency of the cause and the passion of young activists demanding change.
Execution
The campaign was executed as a multi-faceted comms and activation approach, released across key digital channels in the build-up to the London E-Prix, a highlight moment in the Formula E calendar. Alongside digital content and online activations, including infographics and driver supporting social content, a replica gallery was created on-site at the E-Prix to showcase the film and offer further information on the partnership.
The Results
WING's ‘Take A Breath’ campaign achieved extraordinary success:
- Over 6 million views across paid and organic channels.
- It became the most successful piece of non-racing content produced by Formula E during the year.
- It was also their top-performing partnership collateral to date.
- The campaign secured 362 earned media mentions, with a potential news reach of 67 million across vital markets like Mexico, the USA, and the UK (Meltwater).
- Sentiment analysis revealed a highly positive score of +71, showcasing strong audience resonance.
- On LinkedIn, the film achieved the highest engagement of any Formula E post throughout the season.
- On Facebook, it drove over 500,000 organic views, outperforming many racing-related posts - a testament to its broad appeal beyond just motorsport enthusiasts.
‘Take A Breath’ is a standout example of how purpose-led storytelling can drive real impact. By combining emotional authenticity with creative excellence, WING and Formula E not only fulfilled their objectives but also elevated the conversation around air pollution and climate change on a global stage.