Aramco launched an initiative to use drone technology to plant 1 million trees by 2025 to combat desertification in Saudi Arabia.
Objective
In an effort to combat desertification in Saudi Arabia, one of the largest desert landscapes globally, Aramco set out to pioneer a transformative solution. The plan was not just to create a marketing campaign, but to launch a marketing innovation. The strategic objective was to combat desertification in Saudi Arabia by planting native trees using drone-planting technology. This initiative aligned with Aramco's broader goal of supporting sustainable development and environmental preservation in the country.
Context
As a leading energy company and the world's second-largest company, Aramco saw an opportunity to combat desertification through a novel solution: Planting trees using drones to reach the most unreachable areas in the desert.
This is the first year of the campaign, and it is a one-of-a-kind initiative. There are no previous efforts similar to this because the use of drone-planting technology to combat desertification is a pioneering and innovative approach.
Target Audience
In Saudi Arabia, the issue of sustainable development is pressing, but there is a general lack of public involvement due to a sense of limited personal accountability.
While the majority of people agree that the government, companies, and individuals all have roles to play in environmental protection, a whopping 70 percent believe that the primary responsibility lies with the government.
To effectively overcome these barriers, Aramco's focus was on educating and actively involving the public in the process while demonstrating the tangible and immediate positive effect of its contributions.
Creative and Media Strategy
Aramco's creative and media strategies aligned to effectively reach its audience. The creative approach focused on education, real-time engagement, and active participation. The media strategy leveraged owned platforms to disseminate educational content and allow real-time monitoring and engagement. These platforms were chosen as they matched the audience's digital behavior. At the same time, attracting media attention through news channels amplified the message's reach, ensuring the innovative idea resonated widely with all stakeholders.
The campaign's execution, particularly the use of enabling technology, played a pivotal role in achieving outstanding results. By harnessing cutting-edge drone-planting technology, Aramco planted native trees efficiently, overcoming the challenges posed by the vast desert landscapes of Saudi Arabia. Real-time monitoring and active participation through immersive experiences engaged the audience directly, fostering a sense of ownership and trust in the initiative's impact. The innovative use of technology not only demonstrated Aramco's commitment to sustainability but also made the campaign tangible and memorable.
Regarding the budget allocation, approximately 63 percent of the total campaign budget of $224,488 was allocated to digital and mobile platforms (including Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn). This allocation was due to the digitally-savvy nature of the target audience. The highest expenditure was directed toward the X platform due to its popularity in Saudi Arabia, totaling $127,000. Subsequently, LinkedIn received a budget of $48,697, followed by YouTube with $30,136, Instagram with $14,370, and finally Facebook with $4,285.
The investment in digital and mobile channels ensured that Aramco's message reached a broad audience, enabling the campaign to achieve its objectives.
Known for its energy, environmental stewardship and technological advancements are integral to Aramco's business. In nurturing Saudi Arabia's sustainable goals, Aramco launched an initiative to plant one million trees throughout the country by 2025, supporting Saudi Arabia's Green Initiative. However, in one of the largest desert landscapes in the world, most areas are not accessible to human beings. Thus, the brand harnessed the power of drones to plant trees and combat desertification.
"Drones versus Desertification" was not just a marketing campaign — it was a marketing innovation. The campaign was described as "an ambitious scientific environmental initiative" by Al Arabiya, and received praise from Arab News, which highlighted its support for Saudi Arabia's biodiversity goals. The UN Convention to Combat Desertification commended Aramco's advanced and successful efforts in rehabilitating vegetation in various locations.
By planting more vegetation than before and reducing desertification across the areas Aramco reached, the brand achieved a transformative intersection of technology, societal impact, and environmental preservation. In doing so, Aramco not only earned goodwill but also enhanced its brand reputation.
