Raising Awareness on Drought and Water Conservation with an influencer duo

WWF Hungary is always exploring innovative ways to engage the public on critical environmental issues. One of our most exciting recent collaborations involved working with Pamkutya, one of Hungary's most popular influencer duos. With over 1.46 million subscribers on YouTube, their channel is a hub for young science enthusiasts, and WWF Hungary seized the opportunity to work together on a project focused on droughts and nature-based solutions for water conservation.

In this article you can read all about how they teamed up with Pamkutya, the content they created, and the impressive results of this partnership, all in support of the Restoriver project.

The Collaboration: Educating Through Entertainment

Pamkutya’s YouTube series "Márkopédia" has become a favorite for many viewers who love to learn about science in an entertaining way. In a special episode, they joined forces with experts from WWF Hungary’s Freshwater Team to explore the pressing issue of droughts in Hungary and how nature-based solutions could help address the challenges posed by climate change.

The main topic of the video was Hungary’s water crisis—how extreme floods, like the one in September 2024, can occur while much of the country was suffering from drought only a month ago. The video explains how Hungary’s freshwater resources are far more limited than we might think, as only a small fraction of the Earth's water is drinkable freshwater.

They also delved into how nature-based solutions, such as restoring floodplains and reintroducing meanders to the Danube River, can provide much-needed water retention and create more sustainable ecosystems.

The video highlighted the Restoriver project, which is working to restore floodplains along the Danube River. Specifically, WWF Hungary’s pilot in Érd, a town on the Danube shore, aims to study water retention strategies to mitigate both floods and droughts. Through the restoration of wetlands and floodplains, the project seeks to bring back the natural balance of water systems, improving biodiversity and enhancing water security for future generations.

As part of the video, Pamkutya emphasized the importance of such projects and how small, localized efforts can have a ripple effect across the country in managing water resources more sustainably.

Engaging the Audience

To take engagement a step further, an interactive quiz was launched on the WWF Hungary website, encouraging viewers to test their knowledge about rivers, droughts, and water conservation after watching the video. This quiz, aligned with the video content, provided an opportunity for viewers to reflect on the key messages and deepen their understanding of the issue.

Pamkutya’s Instagram and Facebook pages played a crucial role in promoting the quiz, reaching thousands of followers and inspiring them to participate. With just a few clicks, quiz takers could learn more about water conservation, enter a chance to win WWF Hungary merchandise, and show their support for the Restoriver project.

Results: Impacting Thousands

The results of this campaign were incredibly positive. 230,000 people watched the video on YouTube and around 7,800 people completed the quiz, which demonstrates the level of engagement with the content and the enthusiasm for learning more about water conservation and climate change. Among those, a class of students also reached out, eager to get involved with WWF Hungary’s conservation goals and contribute to a sustainable future.

This kind of reach is exactly what we need to raise awareness of important issues like droughts and water scarcity. The success of this collaboration with Pamkutya proves how powerful influencer partnerships can be in mobilizing audiences to take action.

Why This Matters: Nature-Based Solutions for a Sustainable Future

The success of this collaboration with Pamkutya is a shining example of how influencers can help spread crucial messages about environmental conservation. By engaging audiences with compelling content and interactive elements like the quiz, we can inspire action and raise awareness about the importance of water conservation and nature-based solutions.