The startling discovery that plastic waste contaminates not only the planet but people’s blood is the shocking insight at the heart of the dramatic new campaign, Plastic Blood, created by Babel for ocean preservation charity, Surfrider Foundation Europe.

A study published in Environment International found that microplastics and nanoplastics (minute fragments not visible to the naked eye) can travel around the body and may lodge in organs. Though the impact on health is not yet known, plastic carries and releases toxic chemicals including endocrine disruptors.

In response to this, Surfrider Foundation Europe and Babel have launched a digital DOOH campaign execution that features a visual trick where what appears at first to be floating blood cells under a microscope comes into focus to reveal they are actually red plastic bottle tops. The shocking Surfrider Europe campaign headline ‘Plastic Also Flows Through Our Veins’ aims to raise awareness of the fact that plastic is polluting our bodies as much as it is the oceans. 

“We already knew that plastic pollution was a big issue but knowing today that it also pollutes our blood or organs is major. With Surfrider we wanted to address this in an impactful way, making the viewer "feel" the news. This is how we thought about this trompe l’oeil optical illusion, to reveal that what we thought is in our veins isn't just our blood anymore,” explains Jean-Laurent Py, Creative Director, Babel. 

The charity’s clear and urgent public appeal is: “Protect yourself, say no to plastic.” 

“Besides being a major source of pollution in our oceans, plastic is also directly polluting our body. With this Plastic Blood campaign, Surfrider Europe wants to raise awareness on the dangers awaiting us if we do not stop the invasion of plastic in our daily lives.” added Gaëlle Haut, EU Affairs Project Manager Surfrider Europe.

She continued; “We might not know yet the long-term effects, nevertheless, we are sure that microscopic particles are flowing in our veins,” Haut says. “Therefore it is essential to apply the precautionary principle and must limit our exposure to plastic to reduce its impacts on human health.”

Plastic Blood will be displayed on ultra HD LCD wall-mounted advertising screens and digital billboards in select Paris Métro and RER stations, and in other outdoor locations thanks to Mediatransports and JCDecaux. The DOOH, print and static billboard campaign is supported on social networks FaceBook, Twitter and Instagram.