In response to climate change, 3 April 2056 might be the last day to ski at the Vorab Glacier in the Alps, according to calculations of ETH Zurich. The same phenomenon has the power to push Salla, the coldest town in the Finnish Lapland region, to experience only an endless hot summer instead of four seasons. And that makes it a perfect candidate for the 2032 Summer Games!
The year is considered to be a turning point for Salla, after which the city — but also other Arctic locations — will “cease to exist as we know them.” In an attempt to tackle this problem, the Arctic town called the world’s attention by proclaiming its “bid” to host the Games. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that such an announcement triggered a wave of reactions from people all over the world. Later on, a press conference was held, letting the world know what pushed the town to make such a decision.
Racing to host the Summer Olympics is rough. So why did Salla announced its bid to host the Games? Of course, this isn’t a real proposal. Rather, it is a call-to-action for the whole world. Nevertheless, even though the bid wasn’t submitted, as the town’s mayor, Erkki Parkkinen, said in the press conference, the Lapland municipality, in partnership with Agencia Africa and House of Lapland, made every effort to make this event look real. That’s why you may stumble upon the Games’ logo, bid book, uniforms, promotional activities, and even a mascot.
“Our intention here is clear: We want to keep Salla as it is, and our winters cold and full of snow. So, there was this crazy idea: To host the Summer Olympics in one of the coldest towns on the planet. If we stand back and do nothing, letting global warming prevail, we will lose our identity and the town we love — as well as many others around the world — will cease to exist as we know it,” said the town’s mayor.
Expressing his concerns about this phenomenon, Parkkinen added: “As we live here in the Arctic circle, we are experiencing it before many others. We don’t want to be the best place to host Summer Games in 2032 because that would mean that temperatures would have not stopped rising. Summer Games’ values are to unify people and nations. We need this same spirit to stop climate change.”
The #SaveSalla initiative was conceived with the support of Fridays For Future too, the global climate strike movement that started with Greta Thunberg and other young activists. It now seeks to put pressure on governments and policymakers to act and limit global warming.
“This is not a local problem. It’s a global issue that must be tackled by the whole planet. We have the privilege to be part of a worldwide network that was able to reach Salla, a small town that received us so well and enthusiastically embraced this crazy idea, that brings such an important and urgent message,” said Sergio Gordilho, Agencia Africa’s Co-president and CCO.
The #SaveSalla initiative can be seen through a video, produced by Triatoma and directed by Santi Dulce. The film shows local people training for warmer temperatures as well as hosting the Games. Athletes are in the process of adapting themselves, trying to replace the winter sports they usually practice with summer versions. The heat is coming. And thanks to carbon dioxide, “this snow will be sand.” The video ends with a simple question: “Do you really want the Games here?”
Besides the short film, the initiative is also supported by a website that, in addition to hosting all the visual elements of the proposal, provides practical solutions to tackle the climate emergency. It also empowers users to learn more about Fridays for Future.
“It is inevitable. We have only one planet to live in and immense responsibility to future generations. We can all make a difference. What we cannot do under any circumstances is deny the problem and omit ourselves. The risks will be severe and unavoidable,” said Joe Hobbs, Fridays For Future Activist and Operations Director for Climate Cardinals. “Global warming does not have to be a self-fulfilling prophecy and everyone can make a significant and decisive contribution to stop this process,” he added.
The campaign is reaching all corners of the world and the feedback is positive. It gained support from environmental NGOs, activists, and the general public. After receiving the attention they wanted, the town is currently challenging people to join the fight by adopting eco-friendly behavior.
Credits:
Client: House of Lapland
Agency: Africa
CCO: Sergio Gordilho
ECD: Matias Menendez
Creative Directors: Nicholas Bergantin/ Rodrigo Adam
Copywriter: Nicholas Bergantin
Art Directors: Rodrigo Adam/ Mihail Aleksandrov/ Leonardo Zardo/ Maso Heck
Director of Special Projects: Juliana Leite/ Monique Lima
Special Projects: Fernando Alonso/ Caio Rodrigues/ Isabela Levy/ Thays Miranda/ Lica de Souza/ Aline Saraiva/ Julia Newman
Sustainability & Institutional Relations: Raphael Vandystadt
Digital Strategy: Carol Patrocinio
Community Managers: Carolina Camila/ Aline Khoury
PR: Fabiana Antacli/ Carina Miranda/ Valerie Silverman Kerr
Art & Content: Felix
Chief Technology Officer: Fabio Palma
Digital Production Director: Fernando Tolusso
Project Manager: Leandro Gomes
Tech Lead: Valerio Oliveira
Agency Producers: Rodrigo Ferrari/ Juarez Lima
Live Producer: Netshow.me
Bid Book Designer: Thais Trizoli
3D Mascot: Carlo Taffarel
2D Mascot Animation: Marco Nick
Mascot Concept & Character Design: Marmota vs Milky
Mascot Character Modeler: Tales da Rocha
Curation: Norte Produtora de Arte
Production Company: Triatoma
Director: Santi Dulce
Executive Producer: Renan Chagas
Director of Photography: Gabriel Bianchini
Fixer/Location Manager: Timo Tuuha
Editor: Matheus Tibira
Color Grading: Fernando Lui
VFX: Warriors VFX
Assistants: Iris Maurer/ Laura Faber
Supported by: Primo Content
Sound Track and Sound Design (Bid film): Guilherme Francischi
Sound Design (Social Content): Satelite Audio
Musical Direction: Roberto Coelho/ Kito Siqueira/ Hurso Ambrifi/ Thiago Colli
Sound Design Client Services: Larissa Sarkis/ Carol Araujo
Musical Production: Roberto Coelho/ Kito Siqueira/ Hurso Ambrifi/ Mike Vlcek/ Thiago Colli/ Charly Coombes/ Koitty/ Helton Oliveira
Sound Design Post Production: Carla Cornea/ Pedro Macedo/ Ian Sierra/ Renan Marques/ Vithor Moraes
Sound Design Production Coordinator: Ana Cordeiro/ Larissa Costa/ Debora Mello
Approved by: Veli-Pekka Ojamaa/ Paula Aspholm / Sanna Tarssanen
Supported by: Fridays for Future
Special Thanks: Salla Reindeer Park / Teemu Lahtinen / Kota Collective / Adriano Costa / Elton Felix / Daniel Socci / Marla Color Grading / Andre Pulcino / Guido Gallo / VP Cine