The Ocean Race is one of the world’s toughest sporting events – a sailing race across the world’s biggest waters. It aspires to be a leader in sustainability and works to restore ocean health.
Their brief to us was to design and deliver a campaign that would inspire people across the globe to sign a petition supporting a universal declaration of Ocean Rights.
Our challenge was to break through unawareness and apathy in the face of a giant and complicated issue. We had to find a way to both educate and inject hope, showing that there are workable solutions. To drive real engagement and ultimately behavioural change.
We identified the key moments for a successful campaign trajectory and developed a solid and thoroughly researched strategy held together by a shared vision. The roll-out required a content system aimed at audience groups spanning from the individual through to brands and organisations, all the way to global leadership.
We created a purpose sub brand with social media presence and a microsite that housed the petition and an interactive campaign map. The campaign was rolled out across digital media and physical race locations, with the only paid support being donated ad space in three issues of Time Magazine with a reach of 403,000 readers per issue.
It was important for The Ocean Race that their in-house team could take ownership of the roll-out, so the brand assets needed to be delivered in easy-to-use toolkit form for internal teams and external influencers. As a global campaign, all messaging also needed to be simple and adaptable to different languages.
The message and branding differed from the main Ocean Race communication, but through keeping the bold, action-focused sporting world energy, we maintained strong consistency alongside the main brand.
The campaign ran throughout 2022-2023 culminating in the results being presented live to the UN general assembly in September 2023.
The Ocean Race’s petition for a Universal Declaration of Ocean Rights was presented to the UN General Assembly members in September 2023. Over 32,000 people from 178 countries across the planet stood up, spoke up, signed up.
32,000 Signatures
From 178 countries
Declaration presented at the 78th UN Assembly
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