...an increasingly desperate war against an extreme-right administration that was exacerbating environmental destruction in ways unseen since the fall of the Iron Curtain.

While this has put excessive strain on their team, it has also given them an opportunity to connect with a wide segment of the population who weren't dedicated environmentalists, but who were desperate to halt the government's narrow-minded, self-serving actions across every area of public life.

Moreover, as the administration was carrying out increasingly open and vicious attacks on NGOs, it was not only advantageous, but increasingly vital for Greenpeace to develop wider and deeper emotional connections with Hungarian society.

We allowed people to experience from up close what it feels like to stand up to the government, and belong to a community that isn't only committed and professional, but also caring and playful.

Our approach has brought environmental activism into the households of millions through the evening news, increased awareness, and brought a surge in support.

...while on the other end of the spectrum supporters often feel that their only connection with the organization is reduced to periodic opportunities to sign petitions and read scientific analyses.

We had to build bridges over the enthusiasm gap and help more people see Greenpeace for what it really is: a tight-knit group firmly committed to protect the ecosystems we all depend on, with an in-depth understanding of the issues at hand and a practical, courageous approach to tackle them. Above all, we wanted to show that they are a strong, loving community that fights not only for the environment, but also for the people.

...over 20 short films, as well as raw footage featured in broadcast and online media after major Greenpeace actions.

We've built our strategy around two central goals.

Nor would shaky handheld recordings of the last team member in line. We did the trainings and preparations with the activists and helped them choreograph their actions into visual compositions that would not only work for the few dozen bystanders who happened to be there, but also for the tens of thousands who watched them later in the news.

Then we did everything to make those compositions come alive. We were speeding alongside fast moving actions on rollerblades with steadicam, we deployed cranes and drones, while we also stayed embedded, close to the team—and we didn't let go of our compositions when things got physical.

Our answer to the skeptics disparaging activists from the sidelines was not to leave them on the sidelines. We created cinematic experiences that drew people in, regardless of their opinions. Watching our videos meant you were there with us, you felt the thrill of it, and you left with the impression that what happened, mattered.

Some of our videos ended up being social media hits spreading from Greenpeace's network, but the emphasis was on getting our approach into the news. Our footage was repeatedly featured in Hungary's most popular prime time television news show (RTL Evening News), online portals, and even abroad through Euronews.

The bulk of this success comes from Greenpeace's imagination, audacity and strong strategic sense. But we've demonstrated that actions that are not only important but are also made to feel important have an even higher chance of breaking through the walls of mass media and reaching the households of millions.

We helped them design marches and flashmobs in ways that allowed us to show the joy of being together in a big, inclusive, lively community.

In parallel, building on the idea of the Australian Greenpeace office, we've produced ‘thank you’ videos for several Central European offices. Since these tokens of gratitude have been directed specifically at donors, we decided to put real interactions and emotions between Greenpeace staff and supporters at the center.

Importantly, it has also helped Greenpeace boost donations by 39% in 2 years. It enabled them to gain a new reputation among wide swaths of the population as the organization that dares and knows how to stand up for our future.