The Dogwood Initiative

The Dogwood Initiative is a Victoria-based organization opposed to oil tanker traffic along British Columbia’s northern coast. After a 38-year federal government moratorium, a proposal for an oil pipeline threatened to bring hundreds of oil tankers to the area.

Polls showed the majority of Canadians were unaware that the government was considering the proposal, and had never heard of the Dogwood Initiative. To make this cause a national issue, Rethink built a grassroots campaign to drive Canadians to NoTankers.ca, to learn more and sign a petition aimed at the government.

With absolutely no media budget, Rethink created a brand new medium using something that passes through every Canadian’s hands every day: the loonie coin. When placed over the coin, the removable cling-vinyl decals made the iconic loon and the water surrounding it appear to be covered in black oil. Reversed out of the black is the NoTankers.ca URL.

To get started, Rethink sent decals to Dogwood’s mailing list. Supporters ordered “party kits” of 100 decals in return for a suggested donation. Later, people could use the Loonie Tracker Map to input locations where they had spotted loonies and watch their coins spread across the country.

Media coverage was crucial in spreading the word. Rethink sent decaled to outlets coast-to-coast. A second and third wave of media resulted when the Royal Canadian Mint issued a Cease and Desist order and Dogwood refused to comply. The Mint promised to respond with a letter stating their intentions, but nothing has been issued to date.

The campaign exceeded all expectations. For a budget of just $10,000, Dogwood received an estimated $1.5 million in media coverage. Traffic to NoTankers.ca increased by over 4,000%. So far, over 30,000 petition signatures have been collected. The story captured the attention of every media outlet in the country, with over 500 separate stories.

Hundreds of thousands of coins are still in circulation and money is being raised to bring the number up to one million. This ongoing campaign is poised to lead to a legislated tanker traffic ban that will protect our coast forever.