| Investec's "Ordinary won't change the world" | | | | effect of global carbon emissions has caused |
| campaign features an advert with British explorer | | | | temperatures to rise, the North Pole is melting, |
| and long distance swimmer, Lewis Pugh, walking | | | | and many animals, such as polar bears, are losing |
| next to polar bears and cycling in a room made | | | | their habitats. |
| of ice. It's a striking and effective ad, and has the | | | | Extreme swimming is Pugh's way of drawing |
| added bonus of serving two purposes. It's good | | | | attention to the fragility and vulnerability of the |
| publicity for Investec, and it's also good publicity | | | | environment. He wants everyone to realise that |
| for Pugh, considering his personal campaign is to | | | | he or she can make a difference and that no |
| raise awareness of climate changes and the | | | | step is too small in the battle for environmental |
| impact of carbon emissions on the environment. | | | | preservation and conservation. He says that |
| Born in Cape Town, ex-maritime lawyer, Pugh has | | | | everyone can push boundaries, and that part of |
| earned the nickname, the Human Polar Bear, | | | | what he does is to help people realise that there |
| through his ability to withstand extreme cold | | | | are few things in this world that are truly |
| conditions and raise his core body temperature | | | | impossible. All you need is a little mind over |
| before undertaking his icy swims. | | | | matter. |
| Pugh is able to superheat his body via a process | | | | Not all of us need to gain an extra 20 kilograms |
| known as anticipatory thermogenesis. His core | | | | of body fat, put on a pair of Speedos and dive |
| body temperature goes up by 1.4 degrees | | | | into the nearest tub of ice to prove that mankind |
| Celsius, his pulse rate increases from 70 beats per | | | | is destroying the world. When it comes to |
| minute to 160, and he begins to sweat profusely. | | | | reducing our carbon footprints we can simply |
| A mind coach and aggressive rap music (Eminem | | | | recycle our Sunday papers and milk cartons, or |
| is a favourite) helps him to prepare mentally for | | | | carpool, and leave the extreme stuff to those |
| his record breaking swims. The last of which took | | | | who are crazy enough to do it. |
| place on the 15th July 2007 at the North Pole, | | | | Funnily enough, one of the questions that Pugh is |
| where water temperatures are around -2 | | | | asked the most has nothing to do with the state |
| degrees Celsius. | | | | of his mind. People would rather know why he |
| Each of his swims aims to bring a particular issue | | | | swims in tight little Speedos; universally |
| of climate change to the attention of the public. | | | | acknowledged to be the most unflattering item in |
| The North Pole swim would not have been | | | | swim wear fashion (especially when swimming in |
| possible 5-10 years ago because the area was | | | | the cold). The reason is simple, and has nothing to |
| completely iced up. Now that the devastating | | | | do with ego. |