This Digital Tool from Super, Natural British Columbia Brings Nature Back to Your Life

As part of its new global brand launch, Super, Natural British Columbia has created The Nature Rating - a first-of-its-kind digital tool that analyses the media you consume (or are considering) to help you consciously bring more nature into your daily life. Developed in collaboration with creative agency Zulu Alpha Kilo, the tool aims to deepen our connection to the outdoors - starting with our screens.

“Our mission is to bring people and nature closer together, and The Nature Rating is one way we can contribute to that goal,” says Maya Lange, vice president, global marketing for Super, Natural British Columbia. “In a world where people are increasingly disconnected from the outdoors, we want to spark reflection and inspire more time spent experiencing nature first hand.”

The idea came after learning about a study from Social Psychologists Dr. Pelin Kesebir and Dr. Selin Kesebir, published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, which found that references to nature in songs, books, and films have been on a steady decline since the 1950s. “There is a strong link between what we consume and how we behave … so tools that encourage a healthier ‘nature diet’ can be a powerful catalyst for inspiring real-world nature engagement.”

Building on this research, a new report released today from Super, Natural British Columbia, the destination brand for British Columbia, Canada, surveyed 4,000 adults in the UK and the US. The findings uncovered a complex relationship with the natural world - showing that younger generations feel less connected to nature, with many gen z respondents going days without stepping outside.

• Younger people feel less connected to nature than their older counterparts, with gen z (44%) and Millennials (36%) feeling more disengaged with the natural world than previous generations
  
• Two-thirds of gen z (67%) and over half of millennials (57%) admit there are times when they can go days without stepping outside
  
• More than four in ten parents (43%) say their children spend less time outdoors than they did at the same age, with the average child now getting under an hour (58 minutes) of outdoor time per day.
  
• While 30% of people feel there’s a ‘nature deficit’ in the films, TV, and music they consume, almost half (47%) say that seeing the natural world in media or pop culture inspires them to get outside themselves – a figure that rises to 70% for gen z.
  

The Nature Rating uses a sophisticated model combining AI and natural language processing to analyse the nature content in media titles (films, shows, books, songs) against a list of over 270 nature-related keywords. By cross-referencing data from multiple open-source databases, it analyses the themes, plots and lyrical content to assign a Nature Rating score out of 10. This helps users understand the presence of nature in their favourite content. Based on the rating given for a title, it recommends other highly rated media, as well as simple, actionable ways to find nature nearby, improve your nature deficit and let the outside in.

"The core idea is that if you start seeing more nature in pop culture, you’ll be inspired to start seeking it out in your daily life." says Dean Lee, executive creative director, Zulu Alpha Kilo, Vancouver. "Because when we connect with nature, we see it for more than its beauty. We see how important it is to our health and happiness, and how essential it is to protect."

In addition to The Nature Rating, the team behind Super, Natural British Columbia has launched a new global campaign called Let The Outside In. Featured across the UK and US, this beautifully shot video is designed to inspire travellers from around the world to remember the connection you feel within yourself to something bigger when you experience the wonder of the natural world.

The campaign film positions British Columbia as a place where people can reconnect with the wonder of the natural world. It contrasts a modern life increasingly mediated by screens with the unfiltered beauty of real landscapes. By peeling back the 'green screen,' the story reminds viewers that nature is not separate from us, but part of who we are. The film showcases the province’s waterfalls, mountains, wildlife, and wilderness adventures to invite travellers to rediscover their own place in nature. It closes with the call to 'Let the Outside In' - reinforcing Super, Natural British Columbia’s mission to inspire people to welcome nature back into their lives.