Let the hills be the hills and the rivers be the rivers.

These ads look like they was bought directly off the walls of a Stanley Donwood art show. They’re a blend of creativity and politics. I like it when someone lends his or her talent to help out a cause. The ad paints a picture (literally) of China as a desolate, dark, misty nightmare.

As one of the most quickly growing nations, it is important that China thinks about where the energy that they’re using to drive this development forward is coming from. Having said that though, this is easier said then done. Dirtier forms of energy are often much cheaper, which is important when you’re trying to gain as much ground as quickly possible. Some (especially those with power) might say even more important then environmental issues.

Now if I may contradict myself, I think that people are kind of taking this Chinese pollution issue (and it is an issue) out of context. Yes, they are creating a lot of pollution by using cheaper, dirtier forms of energy (like coal) but we are so quick to point the finger. The only difference between our development and theirs is that we did it (using all the same dirty chemicals and energy) before it was deemed un-kosher i.e. before anyone knew or cared about the environmental problems that are common knowledge today. It almost seems like we’re using China (and other developing nations) as scapegoats, pointing the finger at them to direct wandering eyes away from our own ecological boot-print.

Agency: JWT Shanghai
Creative Director: Yang Yeo
Art Director: Lillie Zhong
Copywriters: Jacqueline Ye and Rachael Freire
Designer: Sean Tang
Print Producers: Hester Lim, Liza Law, Joseph Yu, Tao Shen
Illustrator, photographer & art director: Yong Liang Yang.

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