Microsoft has launched a new digital campaign called Reimagine Climate Action to celebrate Earth Month. The campaign aims to showcase the tech giant’s commitment to sustainability, including key initiatives such as achieving carbon negativity and water positivity, being zero waste, and protecting ecosystems.

Koto worked with the Microsoft Brand Studio and strategy teams to develop the campaign’s messaging, visuals and assets, which emphasise how people are using AI to accelerate sustainability solutions. The technology can be used, for example, to monitor data to predict the risks of forest fires, or analyse the pollen collected by bees in order to map plants.

Illustrations and motion graphics take centre stage in the campaign, with French illustrator Alexis Jamet creating four visual ecosystems to represent the four sustainability goals Microsoft has committed to achieving by 2030. These include a lilac meadow, a blue forest, a teal river, and an orange earthworm.

The use of pixelated textures and colours is a subtle nod to the visual language of AI, and the art direction heroes real people who are pioneering sustainability initiatives. Two type treatments are also used within the overall system, including a bold sans serif font and a serif to add a layer of credibility.

Sam Howard, Koto creative director, says: “We worked with the team at Microsoft to create a campaign that is unapologetically hopeful in its design language. Through the use of texture and colour, we lean into the uplifting visual language of the world of AI, turning up the brightness and zooming in on nature.”

The campaign is rolling out across Microsoft’s website, social media and email communications, and Microsoft employee Teams backgrounds.

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