WWF: Eurythenes plasticus
WWF Germany needed to dramatically raise global awareness about the pervasive and deep-seated ocean plastic pollution problem. They aimed to galvanize public support for a legally binding UN agreement to end marine plastic pollution.
Creative Idea
Named a new deep-sea species "Eurythenes plasticus" to embody ocean plastic pollution.
WWF named a newly discovered deep-sea species "Eurythenes plasticus" after the plastic found in its gut, turning a scientific discovery into a shocking, self-propagating message that dramatically exposed the pervasive ocean plastic problem and ignited a global conversation.
Naming a Species to Shame a Planet
A permanent stain on the taxonomic record
The brilliance of this campaign lies in its permanence. By working with Dr. Alan Jamieson and the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, BBDO Germany bypassed traditional media cycles to influence the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Because the name *Eurythenes plasticus* is now the official scientific designation for this amphipod, the indictment of human waste is legally and historically permanent. Even if the oceans are one day fully restored, the "plastic" label remains a fixed part of biological history.
Breaking through a global pandemic
Despite launching on March 5, 2020 - just as the COVID-19 pandemic began to shutter the world - the campaign achieved a staggering 4.7 billion global reach with a €0 media spend. It relied entirely on earned media, spreading through scientific journals and news outlets in 93 countries. The message was amplified by high-profile supporters like Brazilian pop star Anitta, helping the campaign collect over 2.2 million signatures for a legally binding UN treaty.
From the Mariana Trench to the Smithsonian
The production required extreme scientific rigor. The species was discovered 6,900 meters deep in the Mariana Trench, where researchers found a 0.65mm PET microfiber inside its hindgut. To visualize this invisible tragedy, production house Sehsucht created high-end 3D animations, while the agency secured placement in permanent exhibitions at the Smithsonian and other major museums. This strategy ensured the species became a "living" monument to the Anthropocene, eventually earning a Guinness World Record as the first new species officially contaminated by plastic.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
WWF possessed the scientific credibility and partnerships to legitimately discover, analyze, and name a new deep-sea species.
Category
Environmental campaigns often rely on abstract statistics or distant imagery, but this campaign made the problem intimately tangible and undeniable.
Customer
The audience needed a visceral, undeniable truth about plastic pollution's pervasive reach, beyond surface-level awareness, to truly grasp its depth.
Culture
A global cultural moment of heightened environmental awareness and a desire for impactful, undeniable evidence made this scientific revelation resonate widely.
Company
WWF possessed the scientific credibility and partnerships to legitimately discover, analyze, and name a new deep-sea species.
Category
Environmental campaigns often rely on abstract statistics or distant imagery, but this campaign made the problem intimately tangible and undeniable.
Strategy:
Leverage scientific authority to create an undeniable, living symbol that permanently embodies an urgent environmental crisis.
Customer
The audience needed a visceral, undeniable truth about plastic pollution's pervasive reach, beyond surface-level awareness, to truly grasp its depth.
Culture
A global cultural moment of heightened environmental awareness and a desire for impactful, undeniable evidence made this scientific revelation resonate widely.
Strategy:
Leverage scientific authority to create an undeniable, living symbol that permanently embodies an urgent environmental crisis.
Results
The campaign achieved an estimated reach of 1.4 billion. It generated 12 million in earned media. To date, there have been over 410,000 exhibition visitors. The petition garnered 120,216 signatures. The campaign sparked a worldwide conversation in over 40 countries without any media spend.
1.4 Billion
Estimated Reach
12 Million
Earned Media
>410,000
Exhibition Visitors
Strategy Technique
Make the Invisible Visible
The campaign made the unseen problem of deep-sea microplastic contamination undeniably visible. By naming a new species after the plastic found within it, WWF brought a hidden crisis to the surface.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Label
WWF literally labeled a newly discovered deep-sea species "Eurythenes plasticus" to embody the ocean plastic crisis. This permanent scientific name became the undeniable, shocking message itself.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign's craft is exceptional in its strategic fusion of scientific discovery with impactful communication, transforming a taxonomic naming into a global environmental rallying cry.
The strategic dissemination of the scientific discovery and its implications was meticulously planned to generate massive global earned media, ensuring widespread public engagement and driving action for the petition.
The visual presentation of the scientific discovery, the amphipod itself, and the campaign's urgent message was consistently impactful and clear across digital out-of-home ads, online platforms, and educational museum exhibits.
The campaign's success stems from the powerful synergy between scientific discovery, strategic naming, and a well-executed multi-platform communication plan that amplified the message globally.
