At present, only 8% of the ocean is under some form of marine protection, and just 2.9% is fully or highly protected from fishing and other human impacts. Little is known about the true effectiveness of these parts of the ocean, known as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). There are currently 18,000+ around the globe. Yet, despite their importance, up to 96% allow destructive activities inside their boundaries.
To achieve the UN’s goal to protect at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030, there is now an urgent need for solutions to strengthen MPAs. To do this, greater understanding of these unique areas is critical.
Exploration and preservation of the world’s oceans is core to Blancpain. Since launching the world's first true diver's watch, the Fifty Fathoms in 1953, Blancpain has maintained a commitment to exploring, preserving, and achieving a better understanding of our seas. Blancpain wanted to:
Economist Impact, supported by Blancpain, developed the “Beyond the Surface” research programme, a fully interactive and immersive digital platform designed to change the way people understand and engage with marine protected areas. Further bolstered by an infographic, case studies and original articles by ocean leaders, it identifies the factors contributing to the effectiveness of MPAs, from their inception and design to their management, implementation, and ultimately, their outcomes.
The aim is to educate, engage, and inspire audiences by contextualising the important issue of MPAs. Through a range of content designed to allow users to engage however it suits them, the programme puts a spotlight on MPAs, raising awareness of the plight of the ocean whilst aligning Blancpain with inspiring stories, actions and solutions to help preserve our oceans.
The programme was launched at Economist Impact’s 11th annual World Ocean Summit in Lisbon which included a presentation from the renowned wildlife photographer, Laurent Ballesta, and a short screening unveiling the ambitions of the project. Blancpain and Economist Impact set up an interactive video wall which allowed attendees to explore MPAs from around the world and QR codes linked to the hub for guests to find out more.
With a number of distinct audiences to reach, it was important that each user experience, requirements and journey was tailor-made to maximise engagement. Targeted media across print, digital and social was key in driving awareness of the programme and Blancpain’s thought-leadership.
We analysed the content through the eyes of the target audience - identifying the needs of each segment and the key messages that would resonate with them. A rich suite of creatives (reels, stories, videos, animated GIFs, Carousel ads, display ads) were developed - driving users to the most appropriate area of the custom hub. We also selected platforms based on their ability to deliver the target audience (e.g. LinkedIn for C-suite, Meta for those interested in sustainability and X for wider public awareness).
Further amplification using organic promotion in Economist Impact’s weekly newsletter where a special issue was created around the issue of MPAs; regularly promoted on The World Ocean Initiative site and across 340K followers on social.
Beyond The Surface effectively highlighted the economic, social and environmental benefits of fully protected marine protected areas while delivering an engaging experience with UX at its core:
Right audience:
Engaged stakeholders at World Ocean Summit - a flagship event dedicated to instigate action towards developing a sustainable ocean economy.
Hub visits and page views KPIs over-target.
Traffic to the site was 2.2 times more likely as Government Policy Makers, 1.8 times more likely as C-Suite, and 1.4 times more likely as BDMs - clearly demonstrating how our tailored creative and rich content resonated with target audiences.
Driving engagement:
The program succeeded in captivating and retaining audience interest with high engagement rate on content pieces.
Thought leadership: Reaffirmed Blancpain’s dedication to support the 30x30 targets and promoted their thought leadership on how to increase protection of marine areas. It also allowed them to highlight their existing partnerships and deepen their relationships with others in the ocean community.
The programme garnered 400+ news mentions including pick up on WSJ | Barron's MarketWatch.
“Our ‘Beyond the Surface’ tool equips stakeholders with the information they need to better protect our ocean for the benefit of ecosystems and communities. Since its launch, officials from several MPAs have applauded our efforts and multiple stakeholders have requested inclusion of additional MPAs in the interactive map” said Dina Alborno, Economist Impact.
