13CO and Toybox Animation join forces to help protect the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is an iconic symbol of nature and one of the most important ecosystems on the planet. But the twin crisis of climate change and nature loss threatens the reef’s health, and ultimately its survival.

 

A new creative campaign to support the Great Reef Census, an initiative developed by Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef, was created by Rethink Everything and urges Australians to support the non for profit by turning their eyes into a force for good. By simply looking at the Great Barrier Reef, people from all over the world can help to protect it by taking part in the Great Reef Census.

By participating in this initiative, citizens everywhere can provide crucial and timely data to scientists and marine park managers on the health of the reef. By viewing photographed sections of the reef, they will be asked to identify three types of coral, helping scientists pinpoint reef locations most important for its long-term protection.

Says Mike Spirkovski, co-founder of Rethink Everything: “When it comes to protecting nature, particularly when it’s in the ocean and a living organism, people naturally assume there is nothing they can do to help. The Great Reef Census is one way we can all help protect the reef, and you can do it from anywhere just by using your laptop or phone.

“The average Australian spends hours a day online scrolling through images and most of the time without any benefit whatsoever. Now you can look at beautiful never-before-seen photos of the Great Barrier Reef and by simply helping to analyse these images you will play a pivotal role in protecting the reef.”

Says Andy Ridley, CEO of Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef: “The unique part of our reef conservation platform is that we’ve designed citizens into the conservation model, instead of out of it. We have created a meaningful way to allow anyone, even if they don’t have an understanding of the reef, to take part, discover and ultimately have an impact on reef conservation. We needed simple, high impact creative and as much media support as possible to recruit the thousands of virtual volunteers needed to help the Reef. Our partnership with Rethink Everything and Mindshare has created one of the most powerful campaigns for the Great Barrier Reef ever seen.”

Says Roy De Giorgio, executive producer of 13CO: “When Mike approached us with this project, we couldn’t resist. I used to dive around the world in a former life and have spent many hours on the Reef. We need to protect it. This environmental focus is a key part of 13CO. Our workplace is now powered by solar and we’re working toward complete carbon neutrality on all our productions.”

Toybox created the key images for the campaign – an eye with its Iris made up of a coral reef.

Says Nanette Miles, executive producer of Toybox Animation: “For our animated reef assets were built in a procedural way a different ‘recipe’ for each species. This meant we could make unique variations of each coral as needed almost instantly and create a rich and diverse underwater world just as the Great Barrier Reef should be.”

13CO also created a second film DIVE IN demonstrating how the Great Reef Census works.

Filmed in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef and directed by Andrew Buckley.

The integrated campaign is set to run across broadcast television, radio, OOH, online and across social.

Join the Great Reef Census and use your screen time to help protect the reef at greatreefcensus.org

Client: Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef
CEO: Andy Ridley
Impact & Communications Director: Benjamin Vozzo
Engagement Manager: Nicole Senn

Creative Agency: Rethink Everything
Managing Partner & CCO: Mike Spirkovski
Partner & Strategic Comms: Vanessa Liell
Strategic Advisor: Patrick Gibbons
Creative Director: Adam Ferrie
Creative Director: Peter Cvetkovski
Creative Director: Guy Collins
Creative: Trinity Ross
Digital Designer: Rajeev Sangdhore
Executive Producer: Renata Barbosa
Media Agency: MindShare Australia
Chief Product Officer: Gavin Gibson
Managing Partner: Linda Tyson
Client Associate Director: Fiona Lollback
PR Agency: Catfish Media

Production Company: 13CO
13CO Executive Producer: Roy De Giorgio
13CO Executive Producer: Charity Downing
13CO Director: Andrew Buckley
13CO Producer: Warren Keuning
TOYBOX Executive Producer: Nanette Myles
TOYBOX Animation Director: Andrew Newland
TOYBOX CG Supervisor: Suraj Nayak
TOYBOX VFX Artist: Leoni Willis
VANDAL Managing Director: Brenden Johnson
VANDAL Executive Producer: Anna Greensmith
VANDAL Flame Artist: Phil Stuart-Jones
Sound Design: Rumble Studios
Music: Glow by Lights and Motion / Licensed courtesy of Deep Elm Records
Music Supervision: Level Two Music
Voice Over Artist: Meyne Wyatt – RMK Voices
Website Design: Canvas Group
Creative Director: Jorge Castillo
Design Director/UX/UI: Erin Taylor
Designers: Elle Doggett, Jasmine Moll