Campaign Overview
The Longest Receipt in History (La Factura Más Larga de la Historia) was a street-marketing and digital campaign developed by WWF-Spain ahead of the COP28 climate summit in 2023.
To highlight the unbearable cost of the climate crisis, this campaign centered around a physical 30-meter-long banner designed to look like a receipt, that listed everything society stands to lose if global warming exceeds 1.5°C, from vital ecosystems and wildlife to food crops, freshwater resources, and the stability of seasonal patterns. This large-scale receipt was carried by a long line of WWF staff and supporters as they marched during a climate demonstration in Madrid.
Partly co-created through contributions from social media users, the campaign combined street activation with digital engagement, encouraging people to reflect on what is at stake and demand stronger climate action. The receipt was also shared digitally with world leaders attending COP28 in Dubai, reinforcing calls to governments to phase out fossil fuels and accelerate a just transition to clean energy.
By presenting these losses as items on a bill, the campaign transformed the abstract impacts of climate change into something tangible, immediate, and impossible to ignore. Through this simple yet powerful visual metaphor, this campaign demonstrated that every delay in addressing the climate crisis comes with a growing price tag, one that future generations cannot afford to pay.
Outcomes & Results
The Longest Receipt in History generated significant national media coverage, demonstrating the power of combining a bold on-the-ground activation with a strong digital and public relations strategy. By bringing an abstract issue into the real world, the campaign created a memorable visual moment that resonated with both the public and the media.
Following the campaign’s success in Spain, WWF-Portugal adapted the concept for the launch of the Living Planet Report in Portugal in 2024. The Portuguese campaign, titled The Biggest Invoice (A Maior Fatura), transformed environmental data into a giant printed receipt detailing the costs of biodiversity loss, habitat degradation, deforestation, and climate impacts. The activation took place in front of the Portuguese Parliament on the same day the national budget was presented, a highly competitive media environment that risked overshadowing the report.
However, like the WWF-Spain’s campaign the previous year, the striking visual display of the large-scale receipt successfully captured the attention of journalists already covering the budget announcement, resulting in a significant increase in media coverage compared to previous Living Planet Report launches. Importantly, the campaign ensured that WWF’s key report messages were consistently reflected in media coverage.
The activation also created valuable opportunities for policy engagement. Representatives from six of Portugal’s eight political parties met WWF-Portugal on the steps of Parliament, leading to five follow-up meetings. WWF-Portugal then used these interactions to present policy recommendations and advocate for greater investment in nature, with at least two proposed measures ultimately incorporated into the national budget.
The Biggest Invoice campaign was further amplified through social media and supporter communications, extending engagement beyond media and policymakers and helping bring the report’s key messages to a wider public audience.
Asset Types
- Photos
- Working files for the printed receipt artwork
- Other video assets
Conditions of Reuse
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Get In Touch
For more information, reach out to WWF-Spain at info@wwf.es