In 2025, Charmin hit a major milestone: the planting of the brand’s 1 millionth tree in forests affected by natural disasters. But even a number as big as 1 million can feel like just... a number. On its own, it may not convey the type of impact made, nor its scale, failing to deliver the tremendous work done with communities in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation.
Adding to the challenge, the climate—both literal and cultural—was tricky. With skepticism around corporate sustainability rising and wildfires blazing, the topic of forests was more sensitive than ever, and people were looking for real impact. It was not a time for the bears to beat their furry chests—it was a moment to humbly communicate and build context for the milestone.
Charmin’s goal? Help people understand what 1 million trees means—and give them a story to connect with. We set out to turn this big, round number into something that could communicate our impact all while staying rooted in the brand’s playful spirit.
For Charmin, our answer was clear: stay honest and true to the values that made us a household name. We knew this moment wasn’t just about trees—it was about continuing to build trust by showing the impact made within our pledge.
The average person doesn’t know what planting 1 million trees looks like, so we needed to make it tangible. Our strategy: connect the dots between Charmin’s sustainability efforts and the real-world impact on land, lives and communities. We partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to ground the campaign in credibility and local relevance, especially in wildfire-affected areas of California.
We also knew Earth Month was a timely cultural moment to plant a campaign that could educate, inspire and entertain our key demographic—Gen Z and Millennials.
With this program, we captured attention for Charmin’s sustainability actions—from social feeds to office floors—sparking conversations and boosting brand love. And we know we’ll keep going, with Charmin and the Arbor Day Foundation at work to define Act 2—our favorite number—for a new milestone of impact to come.
