AMV BBDO

London

The Brief...

Cats adore fish. But today fish are under threat and the coral reefs, that over 25% of all marine life rely on, could be extinct by 2050.

As a brand that promises to deliver ‘What Cats Want’, Sheba took action to ensure a future with fish, not just for cats but for the millions who rely on them.

The brief was to make Sheba’s commitment to sustainable fish unmissable, to show off this powerful new solution, ultimately inspiring both governments and consumers to take part in restoring coral reefs.

We wanted to create visual proof that it wasn’t too late - that damage can be reversed. Our answer was an ambient outdoor placement grown from real, living coral on a previously destroyed atoll. When viewed by the Google Maps satellite, it wrote HOPE large across the ocean floor.

The Idea..

We set out to build a new, real, thriving coral reef but with an innovative twist. This one spelled out HOPE, written large across the ocean floor. It was designed to be seen by the Google Maps satellite and be discoverable on maps. Living proof to all.

There were 5 innovative elements;

1. The “Reef Star” technology, designed over 13 years which allowed us to rebuild reefs at speed and scale

2. Using those as our pixels to spell out our message on the ocean floor

3. “Hacking” the unhackable Google Maps through environmental engineering

4. Then claiming Hope Reef as a business on Maps so it would be branded and link through to ShebaHopeGrows.com where users could help us grow even more reefs through our monetised YouTube channel.

5. Backing this up with not just a commitment to only use 100% sustainable fish but a 10 year financial commitment to coral restoration.

The idea was simple, yet big enough to get the world to take notice. Sheba put Hope on the map. Literally.

The world became our medium when Sheba created the world’s first billboard made from real, living, thriving coral.

The Results

First we rigorously tested the Reef Star technology. Then we worked with island communities in the coral triangle off Indonesia – it was crucial they invited us to plant the reef and were equally involved in its construction and upkeep and they are to this day.

2018 – Worked with residents of Bontosua island and world-leading coral biologists such as Professor David Smith to identify Salisi' Besar as the build site.

July 2019 – Reef Stars built on nearby island

Aug 2019 – Reef constructed in partnership with island residents and marine biologists

Nov 2019 – Reef visible on Google Maps, reef maintenance continues.

Feb 2020 – Fish returning in numbers

May 2021 – Hope Reef global campaign went live.

June 2021 - Sheba proud to be an official UN Business Avenger with a mandate to inspire other companies.

Today - 5 new countries have adopted the Reef Star system

The reef is thriving, with 70% coral coverage, +300% fish abundance, +175% average fish size and +10% more species. Over 1 million people have explored Hope Reef on Google Maps and Sheba’s “Reef Star” System has been adopted by 5 more countries, with 40,000 sqm of reef regrown so far. With 20 million views, our YouTube ‘Channel That Grows Coral’ has raised enough funds for a new crowdfunded reef.

Global PR coverage resulted in 2.5billion earned impressions across major titles including BBC, Forbes and National Geographic and drove a 276% increase in positive social conversations about reef restoration. With this, brand awareness grew +17% and purchase intent by +14%.

Finally, with a campaign ROI of 308%, it’s proof you can build business value while making a meaningful difference.

Hope Reef

The world became our medium when Sheba created the world’s first billboard made from real, living, thriving coral. What once was a barren site of dead coral became a new reef the size of two Olympic swimming pools. When viewed from the air it spelt out a poignant message - HOPE.