Toilet paper brand, Who Gives A Crap, has introduced Winnie-The-Pooh: The Deforested Edition, a revamped version of the cherished children’s book, to shed light on the global effects of deforestation. Developed in collaboration with Eleven and TBWA\Melbourne, this groundbreaking campaign presents an adaptation of A. A. Milne’s timeless 1926 classic Winnie-the-Pooh, which entered the public domain in the United States in 2022. The refreshed release joins a growing trend of updated books and films that reflect contemporary perspectives, often sparking controversy. Who Gives A Crap took the initiative to modify this particular piece of literature to highlight environmental changes.
Within 48 hours of its release, Winnie-the-Pooh: The Deforested Edition sold out in the United States, sparking worldwide discussions and debates. This edition features the original storyline by A. A. Milne complemented by illustrations reimagined to illustrate the impact of land cleared daily for the production of conventional toilet paper.
Where once-lush trees stood, home to the many furry friends, they have now been replaced by felled tree stumps. The revision has also been extended to the iconic Hundred Acre Wood map, depicting the widespread impact on all of Winnie-the-Pooh’s friends.
Eleven and TBWA\Melbourne led all global earned creative and strategy, and partnered with sister agency TBWA\Chiat\Day and UK agency Fanclub on the execution of the campaign. LA publisher Paper Chase Press managed printing and distribution of the books that are available exclusively for the US market.
Who Gives A Crap’s Head of Brand Management, Maria Chilewicz emphasises the need for innovative thinking when sharing environmental topics with consumers.
“One of the challenges we face is finding ways to connect with people emotionally on issues that, for many, feel far far away. With over 1 million trees destroyed every day to make traditional toilet paper, we knew we needed something special to break through the noise and make a genuine impact.”
Creative Directors, Harrison Webster & Max Reed, add “For obvious reasons, Pooh was really the only choice. But reworking such a classic came with huge responsibilities, and so it was vital that these books were beautifully crafted, sustainable, and as close to the original as possible. This way, families can still get lost in the whimsical world of A.A. Milne’s Pooh, while taking away this important message.“
Winnie-The-Pooh: The Deforested Edition has been sustainably created with recycled paper, from old notebooks and oce supplies, and was only available for purchase in the US via the Who Gives a Crap United States website. All proceeds will go to Who Gives A Crap’s WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) partners to help give everyone in the world access to clean water and sanitation.
