Key Takeaways:
- Wilson, the volleyball in the iconic Hollywood film "Cast Away," fronts a campaign from Onda Azul Institute, UNESCO, and Vivo to spotlight plastic pollution in the ocean.
- 2023 was the warmest ocean year on record, with temperatures averaging 1.45 °C above pre‑industrial levels, nearing the Paris 2 °C threshold.
- Sea levels rose ~9 cm in the past 30 years, driven largely by ocean warming, with warming now accounting for 40 % of that rise, and the rate of increase doubling.
- Ocean acidity has increased ~30 % since pre‑industrial times and is projected to reach 170 % by 2100 and oxygen levels dropped 2% since the 1960s, creating over 500 coastal dead zones.
A familiar face from Hollywood is making waves in science communication.
The iconic volleyball from Tom Hanks' "Cast Away," known as Wilson, now stars in a campaign drawing attention to the growing environmental strain on marine ecosystems.
"The Odyssey of Wilson" is a joint effort led by the Onda Azul Institute in partnership with telecom giant Vivo and agency Africa Creative.
It aligns with UNESCO’s 2024 scientific findings and was launched ahead of the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, happening from June 9 to 13.
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Through real ocean data visualized as Wilson’s 450-year journey at sea, the campaign explores the long-term environmental effects of plastic pollution.
Introduced by haunting scenes, audiences follow Wilson through ocean currents, rising sea levels, and decaying ecosystems.
This dramatic narrative traces how a single object transforms across centuries into microplastics, encountering acidification, coastal degradation, and habitat loss along the way.
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Nicholas Bergantin, co-CCO of Africa Creative, explained to DesignRush how the campaign transforms "real oceanographic data into a powerful emotional journey."
"Art direction and design play a key role in crafting an accessible narrative that makes the impact of plastic waste visually clear and emotionally resonant.
By guiding the experience through this nostalgic character we could balance realism with a poetic visual language that helps us not just to understand the crisis, but truly feel it."
The experience is both digital and physical, supported by immersive installations in coastal cities and interactive online storytelling.
Science Drives Storytelling with Urgency
UNESCO’s State of the Ocean Report 2024 paints a stark picture that forms the basis of the campaign.
Ocean temperatures in 2023 reached the highest on record, averaging 1.45°C above pre-industrial levels, nearing the critical 2°C threshold set by the Paris Agreement.
Sea levels have risen by approximately 9 cm over the past three decades.
And this pace is accelerating, with warming oceans now accounting for about 40% of the total increase.
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Meanwhile, oxygen levels in the ocean have dropped by 2% since the 1960s, leading to over 500 coastal zones where marine life can no longer survive.
Since pre-industrial times, ocean acidity has risen by about 30%, with scientists expecting that increase to reach 170% by the end of the century.
These changes are disrupting marine ecosystems and placing many species under what researchers now describe as a “triple threat” of warming, acidification, and deoxygenation.
With this data, the campaign banked on emotional framing, using Wilson to make the science more relatable.
The film and accompanying digital experience are designed to humanize environmental data and encourage collective action in the lead-up to the UN summit.
“By following the journey of a simple object, we illustrate decades of invisible damage caused by plastic waste — and why it urgently needs global attention.
With Vivo and inspired by UNESCO’s scientific leadership, we’ve transformed data into a story people can feel," André Luis Esteves, director at the Onda Azul Institute, said.
"The Odyssey of Wilson" stands out not only for its creativity but also for its grounding in verified data.
It reflects a growing trend in cause-based communications, where emotional storytelling is used to support measurable science.
Our Take: Can Advocacy Branding Carry Real Weight?
This campaign demonstrates how purpose-driven branding works when there’s both relevance and accountability.
Wilson isn’t just a movie prop. Here, he guides audiences through centuries of environmental harm supported by scientific reporting.
This mix of cultural familiarity, credible data, and powerful visuals gives the message real weight.
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Brands need to remember that aligning with purpose means telling stories that inform and resonate, especially when the issue demands urgency.
Adopting this strategy builds stronger trust and long-term loyalty by showing they stand for more than profit.
Informative, resonant storytelling also deepens audience engagement, improves brand recognition, and positions the company as socially responsible.
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