Viral Campaigns

Hannes Jaenicke and Frosch owner Reinhard Schneider:
Joint campaigns for environmental protection

An explanation of sustainability doesn’t always have to be dry and boring! Sometimes it can and should be brash, cheeky and funny. To put the focus on sustainability and plastic pollution while calling attention to the audacious greenwashing of multinational corporations, Hannes Jaenicke, in collaboration with the Frosch brand, wrote and produced two highly entertaining short films. The result: about 20 million views. That proves that humor is the best way to get people excited about environmental protection. Jaenicke says: “Thanks to Frosch and everyone who helped make the spots so successful. Here is our Mission Possible. Join in!”

“The Climate Change Denier” is Dr. Christian Leugner (English: denier). That’s the name of the climate lobbyist portrayed by Hannes Jaenicke in the newest spot with the Frosch brand. On the way to his physiotherapist, the stressed lobbyist gets stuck in traffic and curses the Fridays-for-Future demo. He quotes questionable studies as he advises his political clients and praises the cleverness of “PR tricks like ocean plastic.” Patrik Baboumian plays the role of physiotherapist Patrik Brecher, who exacts a price from the denier for his shameless greenwashing. At the end of the spot we see how Baboumian, with help from a Frosch cleaner, removes the accumulated climate denier bullshit from his massage table.

Animal rights activist Jaenicke makes fun of himself in the role of “Hannes Gritzegrün,” the environmentally engaged, squeaky-clean man who even generates his own electricity. The very green guy’s daily life looks like this: he produces hardly any waste, buys only organic products, serves his family and colleagues gluten-free spelt snacks and practices “jommeln,” which he invented. It’s a combination of jogging and litter collecting. . . and so on. . . . But things could be so much easier: “Don’t be a freak, look for Frosch” advises the Frosch manufacturer, which, with recyclate bottles, has the best prescription for fighting the plastic plague and protecting the environment.