Surfrider Foundation Europe: Microplastics Kill The Ocean

In the beginning of this year, ici Barbès and Surfrider Foundation Europe decided to make a hard-hitting statement with a new campaign decrying the catastrophic consequences of microplastics in the ocean: “Microplastics kill the ocean”. Microplastics are omnipresent in our daily lives, particularly in cosmetic and household products.
Once they make their way into the environment, they are practically impossible to eliminate. They remain there forever, polluting the oceans and aquatic habitats, spreading throughout the ecosystem. Once they are swallowed by marine animals, they end up in our food, where they cause serious health problems. Surfrider Europe takes a new approach, appealing to shock value to make an impact with this campaign.
A clear message accompanies the illustration: “Microplastics kill the ocean!” The environmental organisation’s last Bad Cosmetics campaigns addressed the same issue, as did the film “The Drop”, also a collaboration with ici Barbès. This time, Surfrider Europe seeks to show the direct consequences of such pollution on the ocean and marine life to make a strong impact. Its call to action invites European citizens to support an immediate ban on microplastics by the European Commission. The social network campaign operates on a “tap to open” basis, inviting the visitor to go along to the next story and open a bottle that appears to be a turtle. When the visitor clicks, the turtle is decapitated, and the following words appear: “Microplastics kill the ocean”.