AMVBBDO

Client: Mars Pet
Product: Sheba
Title: Hope Reef
Media: Outdoor(Real life reef)/Digital- google maps, website, youtube channel/ OLV/ OOH - static, digital, light projection and artist mural/Social/ Influencer/ Media Partners / Point of Sale/ Ecom / Product, YouTube, Social (FB, IG, Twitter), Ecom multiple retailers, Influencers- instagram and YouTube, Website, Google maps
Country: Australia & USA
Date Of Campaign: 5th May 2021

Background: If we don’t act, coral reefs could be gone by the end of the century. A catastrophe for fish populations, effecting millions. So, how do we turn the coral narrative from hopeless to hope? Sheba Hope Reef. A giant living billboard and a promise to future generations that we can rebuild coral at speed and scale. Using Sheba’s unique reef star building system, in 2019 Sheba’s team of marine biologists laid 900 reef stars with 15,000 pieces of embryonic coral. But this isn’t a “one & done” – it’s year 1 of a decade-long commitment to what will be the largest coral restoration effort in the world.

Idea: Brief: Make Sheba’s commitment to fish sustainability unmissable and ensure cat owners saw the value in this. Showcase our reef building system and more importantly, show the world there are man-made solutions to man-made problems and inspire governments to adopt it throughout the world, making a meaningful difference and helping reverse coral decline. Show that there is still Hope. Solution: Something simple, yet big enough to inspire both governments and the public alike. So, we put Hope on the map. Literally. In 2019 Sheba’s team of marine biologists laid 900 reef stars and 15,000 pieces of embryonic coral on the site of a dead reef, making a giant living billboard. Working with Google, Hope became a historical landmark on Google Earth, as well as diveable on Maps & Streetview. Placement: A multichannel approach. Every piece a tool to grow coral, raise funds or awareness for coral restoration. A reef, supported by a YouTube Channel, digital, OOH, Nat Geo & Google partnerships & social.Four giant letters of embryonic coral in Indonesia. Viewable on Google Earth, Maps and Streetview. Our system has now been adopted by The Maldives, Seychelles, Mexico, Australia and US Virgin Islands.

Results: Since 2019, Hope Reef has gone from barren rubble to a thriving ecosystem. Coral coverage up from 1>70%, fish populations are +300%, including a 10% increase in the number of species. Our reef system has been adopted by The Maldives, Seychelles, Mexico, Australia and US Virgin Islands, with 40,000sqm of reef regrown. Hope has seen global coverage with 2.5bn earned impressions and +276% in positive social conversations about reef restoration. On Google Earth, Hope became a historical landmark and was listed as one of NatGeo’s top restorations of 2021. It made the global news on The BBC, Sky and CBS news. Our “Channel That Grows Coral” on Youtube has had nearly 20m views, raising enough money to build a new reef. Hope Reef has increased Sheba’s brand awareness by +17% and purchase intent by +14%. The campaign had a ROI of 3,3:1 in Germany, 2,57:1 in France and 3,92:1 in Russia. Perhaps most prescient, on Bontusua island itself locals are reporting seeing species not seen in a generation.