National Geographic

What happens when curiosity leads the way

The streaming world is full of nature documentaries. Beautiful footage. Sweeping narration. Facts about animals and ecosystems. They’re good. But they can start to blur together. Welcome to Earth needed to be different. Not just another show about the planet. A show about what it feels like to truly see it for the first time.

That’s where Will Smith came in. Not as an expert. As a curious person. Someone willing to look foolish, ask questions, and be genuinely amazed. Directed by Darren Aronofsky, the series took Will to the most extraordinary places on Earth. Volcanoes. Deep ocean. Hidden caves. But the real hook wasn’t the locations. It was watching someone experience wonder in real time. That’s relatable. That’s human. That’s what made the show special.

I led the creative strategy and campaign development for the launch. We leaned into both sides of the series: the epic scale of Nat Geo’s cinematography and the intimate, personal journey of Will discovering it all. The trailers balanced awe with humor. The key art felt cinematic. And Will created bespoke social content that showed a playful, unguarded side of the adventure. It invited people to come along, not just watch from a distance.

The campaign drove strong engagement and helped Welcome to Earth become one of the most talked-about titles on Disney+ during its premiere window. It brought in nature lovers and Will Smith fans alike. And it reminded people that the best way to fall in love with the planet is to let yourself be surprised by it.