“When (re)boot, AKQA Bloom and IMCF partnered together, we tried to find a creative way to bring sustainability and circularity to life within the club, pushing boundaries and using all the discarded material collected,” say Jean Zamprogno and Fernando Pellizzaro, better known as Zampa and Zaro, ECDs and founders of AKQA Bloom. “Launching a mascot was always on the team’s radar; we were just waiting for the right moment and narrative. When we realized that no other team had ever created an upcycled mascot, we were inspired to do so. After months of collecting equipment, sketches, 3D models, and the actual costume build, it’s finally time.”

“Inter Miami was the first team to open the doors to (re)boot and its commitment to sustainability,” adds Gaby Mas, founder of (re)boot. “So, when AKQA Bloom presented the idea of making their first mascot entirely out of upcycled material, it was a no-brainer. Beyond the environmental impact, this mascot represents the true spirit of football fans. It is made entirely of discarded, worn player equipment, bringing history and love for the game in every single piece.”

At vegan food brand NotCo, humans recently collaborated with A.I. to help farm animals, which rarely live anywhere near as long as they should. We’re speaking of livestock, slaughtered in their youth—often during infancy—to put meat on the world’s tables.

But cows’ natural life expectancy is 48 years, while pigs and chickens can make it past 20. To raise awareness, NotCo and AKQA Bloom used A.I. to create ads showing how such creature would look if allowed to age with dignity.

“I have seen many A.I. ideas these days. But, honestly, most of them use A.I. for the sake of using A.I.,” NotCo CMO Fernando Machado tells Muse. “That’s natural, since the technology is so hot now. In the case of NotCo, our entire company is anchored in A.I. We use a patented AI called Giuseppe to create all our plant-based products. So, using A.I. to invite people to imagine a future that currently doesn’t exist was a very strong fit.”

The images will grace social media, billboards and print ads in the U.S., Chile, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and Argentina.

In terms of boosting the brand, “We have lots of die-hard fans, but many people still need to know our story,” Machado says. “Our aim with this campaign is to appeal to people who care about the environment. The campaign is an invitation to imagine a better future by reflecting about the current state of the food industry today.”

Machado knows all about that, having steered campaigns for Burger King and Popeyes (among others) before joining NotCo. Based in Chile, his current employer offers products including NotMilk, NotBurger, NotMeat, NotIceCream, NotChicken and NotMayo.

CREDITS

AKQA Bloom
Founder & ECD: Jean Zamprogno & Fernando Pellizzaro
Group Account Director: Silvia Brihy
Creative Director:  Rodolfo Fernandes
Strategy Director: Emma Riley
Copywriter: Giovanna Pereira
Art Director: Seine Kongruangkit
PR Director: Haley Hammerling
Senior Producer: Gabrielle Levy
Senior Project Manager: Leandro Santini.
AI Artist: Jean Zamprogno
Photographer: Leandro Viana
Retouch: Fuze Image
Production Company: ArtClass Content