Leo Burnett Tailor Made has partnered with SOS Amazônia to introduce “The Originary Map,” a Fortnite experience that combines gaming entertainment with social activism to raise awareness about the critical issue of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.
The Amazon rainforest, often referred to as the “lungs of the Earth,” is facing severe threats due to illegal logging, mining, and land clearance for agriculture. As covered in a recent article in The Drum, “The Originary Map” harnesses the power of Fortnite, one of the world’s most popular online games, to educate players about the importance of the Amazon rainforest and the urgent need for its protection.
“The Originary Map” campaign in collaboration with SOS Amazônia is live on Fortnite now. Gamers from around the world are encouraged to join the movement, explore the Amazon rainforest, and make a positive impact on the environment. By raising awareness and funds for the Huni Kuĩs project, “Young Voices,” which supports communication initiatives within the Amazon territories, this campaign demonstrates the potential for creative partnerships to drive change and address critical global issues.
We spoke with the creatives behind the campaign from our Leo Burnett Tailor Made office in Brazil to learn more about the creation of this unique digital experience and the strategy behind the merging of social activism and advertising:
How did the idea for “The Originary Map” in Fortnite originate, how did the partnership with SOS Amazonia come about and what motivated Leo Burnett Tailor Made to take on this project?
The agency and the creative team are always paying attention to global and regional problems. As Brazilian citizens, we have the responsibility to care about the Amazon rainforest and its Indigenous people. The Amazon has been a pressing issue more than ever, with deforestation rates being at their highest rate in 15 years. The interruption of Indigenous land demarcation is what is facilitating this illegal exploitation. To do something about this, we needed a partnership with an ONG that had deep knowledge about the Amazon region. Once the partnership was established and we learned more about their work, the activism idea was born. SOS Amazon’s main objective is to defend extractivism (the removal of natural resources for export with minimal processing) and to protect the Amazon rainforest while supporting their native populations. Protecting these lands is not just an indigenous fight. It’s everyone’s fight, especially the next generation who will face future consequences such as climate change. This generation is actively engaged on many platforms, especially gaming.
Can you explain how the agency translated the social and environmental conflicts faced by indigenous peoples into the virtual world of Fortnite? What creative strategies were employed to engage players in these real-world issues?
Brazil has seen a 352% increase in invasions of Indigenous lands, a 30% increase in murders, and a 100% increase in cases of violence against Indigenous people since 2021. Indigenous lands are suffering constant attacks from gold miners, loggers, and land grabbers. The project, signed in partnership with the Federation of the Huni Kuĩ People of Acre State, brings the true plight of socio-environmental conflicts faced by Indigenous people whose lands are illegally invaded into light in a virtual environment.
11 months of research helped us map the territory, restructure the rivers, the fauna, and the native flora. A map equivalent to 5 million square meters of Amazon territory was established. In collaboration with biologists, indigenists, activists, and the Indigenous community itself, we translated the Amazon biome to a digital environment. The gamer’s missions are to put out fires, expel illegal miners and land grabbers, dismantle the machinery they use, clean up the rivers, and reforest the native trees.
The campaign involves various in-game challenges related to protecting forests and indigenous peoples. How did the agency help conceptualize the ideas for these challenges, and how do they align with the campaign’s goals?
We believe that “The Originary Map” is the most authentic immersive experience available that simulates the reality of the Indigenous people of the Amazon. Our main objective is to promote the map for an audience that needs to stand with us in the struggle. To do so, we must speak their language. In Brazil, 82% of young people play games online. This generation largely enjoys fighting games. A commonality is that protecting the Amazon rainforest is a constant fight, too. Our goal is to have more discourse about the realities of the Indigenous and drive support through donations for social projects that benefit the Indigenous people and generate awareness and share accurate information about the Amazon across the world.