Emotive and Deep Rising – a global impact campaign inspired by the environmental documentary of the same name – is urging people to reclaim the deep seabed from mining companies intent on turning the largest living space on Earth into the largest mining site.
The Coogee-based creative agency’s campaign – The World’s Largest Ocean Dispute – aims to empower people worldwide to claim back the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), which spans over 3 million square kilometres in the Pacific Ocean (equivalent to the size of India), which is teeming with life and is home to millions of species yet to be discovered and the world’s largest carbon sink, working to stabilise the planet’s climate.
Adrian ‘Ace’ Buchan, former world tour surfer, environmentalist, BBC Green Sport Awards Evergreen Athlete for 2024 and campaign advocate, said: “I’ve been lucky enough to live a life in and around the ocean, to have had a career riding waves that have travelled across vast oceans, created by unseen storms.
“The ocean has no voice, but it is on the front line in our collective fight for survival, and we owe it to the blue beating heart of our earth to be the voice of hope, preservation, and respect. Deep Rising allows us the opportunity to stand up against the exploitation of one of our last remaining frontiers.”
Back in March 2024, Emotive unveiled a giant street mural by iconic Australian artist and musician Reg Mombassa and Apparition Media, along with a call-to-arms to the marketing industry to get involved. Over the past 8 months, JCDecaux, ARN, Channel Nine, Mamamia, WeAre8, On the Edge and Surfers for Climate have raised over $2M of advertising and editorial committed in Australia, the UK and the US, with more partners still joining.
Emotive’s creative director, Paul Sharp, was co-executive producer of the documentary Deep Rising, which was directed and produced by Matthieu Rytz and narrated by Jason Momoa.
The agency has spearheaded the subsequent impact campaign, donating a massive amount of time and resources to the cause. In creating ‘The World’s Largest Ocean Dispute’, Emotive has led the strategy, creative, and media while also designing deeprising.com – the central hub of the campaign, with NFT assets in 90 languages.
‘The World’s Largest Ocean Dispute’ campaign has divided the deep seabed into 8.17 billion GPS coordinates – representing everyone on the planet – and mapped them across the seabed currently claimed for mining. Through deeprising.com, people are able to freely claim their unique coordinates in around 60 seconds via a first-of-its kind decentralised digital platform backed by web3 technology. By claiming your coordinates, as is your birthright, you are agreeing to protect the deep seabed on behalf of humanity.
The campaign sends a powerful message to nations, corporations and policymakers: the deep seabed is the common heritage of humankind and must be protected on behalf of humanity, not exploited to benefit a select few.
“For such a complex and far reaching issue, it’s a simple solution,” Paul Sharp, creative director, Emotive and co-executive producer of Deep Rising documentary. said.
“An insanely vast area of the deep seabed in the Pacific has been secretly divided up for potential mining which would be carried out by mining companies and their pro-mining nation sponsors. By dividing the deep seabed into 8.17 billion plot coordinates, we’re allowing all of humanity (the rightful shared owners of the deep seabed) the ability to claim it back and have their voices heard.”
“Emotive’s purpose is to create ideas that change the way people feel,” Michael Hogg, managing partner and head of strategy, Emotive, said.
“Changing how people feel about deep sea mining to ensure the safeguarding of our planet’s last pristine wilderness is arguably the most important thing we’ve ever pointed it at. I’m grateful to the Deep Rising team for bringing the problem to the world’s attention before it’s too late, and now we’re inviting the whole world to go on the journey with us.”
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Simon Joyce, CEO, Emotive, added: “Emotive, alongside so many other pro-bono partners, are so proud to play a part in this project – which gives the ocean a much needed voice.”
“Emotive has always been based by the Pacific Ocean, so it’s both deeply personal and a privilege to support Deep Rising’s mission to halt deep sea mining before it starts.
“It felt like a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to leverage the power of creativity for good, bringing together big ideas, brilliant partners, beautiful design and blockchain technology to give people everywhere the power to protect the deep seabed. So please, claim your birthright today and join The ‘World’s Largest Ocean Dispute’.”
CREDITS
Client: Deep Rising
Director, Producer & Co-Creative Director: Matthieu Rytz
Head of Impact and Co-Executive Producer: Laura Clarke
Head of Communications: Katie Lettice
Co-Creative Director and Co-Executive Producer: Paul Sharp
Head of Strategy: Florence Tercier
Partnerships Manager: Mark Haver
Partnerships Consultant: Marie-Céline Piednoir
Social Media Coordinator: Mackenzie Govett
Creative and Production: Emotive
CEO & Founder: Simon Joyce
Managing Partner & Chief Strategy Officer: Michael Hogg
Group Creative Director: Darren Wright
Senior Creative Director: Paul Sharp
Creative Directors: Kat Topp, James Pash
Head of Design: Daniel Mortensen
Senior Designer: Chris Cooper
Senior Art Director: Tessa Chong
Head of Production: Hayley-Ritz Pelling
Creative Producer: Jenna Fisher
Producer: Rebecca Love-Williams
Business Directors: Mitchel O’Donohue, Pia McMorran
Senior Account Directors: Robyn Claffey, Zoe Hartas
Media Agency: Kookaburra Riot
Founder: Paul Murphy
Website Build: Taledo & JTB
Taledo Founder: Peter Vahaviolos
Blockchain Partner: Coinweb
Global PR: HAVAS Red