The Copenhagen Bench: Turning heads and starting conversations

Making climate change tangible to everyone

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Many people have become desensitised to climate change reports and images of melting icebergs. As one of the largest public service broadcasters in Denmark, TV 2 felt an obligation to find a new way to engage Danes in the conversation.

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The goal was to create an untraditional campaign that would make the Danes talk about climate change and the fact that everyone is responsible for taking action and changing course.

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In order to engage the Danes in the conversation, and to make the consequences of climate change tangible to everyone, TV 2 turned to a Danish design icon – The Copenhagen Bench. To match the UN Climate Report’s estimate for the rise of sea-level by the year 2100, they created 15 benches from upcycled metal and recycled wood, all elevated by 85 cm.

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A cobber plate on the front of the bench reads:

Flooding will become part of our everyday life unless we start doing something about our climate. According to the latest UN Climate Report, sea-levels are expected to rise with up to 1 meter before 2100 if the global warming continues.

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The benches were placed at central locations in Denmark’s largest cities, and they immediately grabbed people’s attention. With the Copenhagen Bench, TV 2 succeeded in raising awareness and putting climate change on the agenda. The campaign went viral in both Danish and international media and achieved a reach of 370 million people.

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Research shows that the campaign made 1 out of 3 Danes talk about climate change. But most importantly, the campaign made 8 out of 10 Danes agree that everyone has a responsibility to take action and changing course, something that is critical in moving towards a more sustainable future.