SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Independent creative studio Supermassive and Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) have unveiled an audacious global campaign to nominate the Great Barrier Reef for a Lifetime Achievement Award at the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Champions of the Earth Awards. This move would mark a world-first: recognising a non-human entity for its enduring ecological and cultural legacy.
Unveiled on World Earth Day, the Lifetime of Greatness Project reframes the Reef not just as a natural wonder, but as a living, breathing environmental luminary. The campaign is a cross sector collaboration among marine scientists, Traditional Owners, educators, policy-makers, tourism partners, and environmental advocates are all uniting to push for the highest global environmental honor to go to the planet’s largest living organism.
The Reef is no passive landmark. It’s a healer, a teacher, and a provider to Indigenous communities for over 60,000 years. A body so immense it can be seen from space, and so important that it continues to influence global marine science, biodiversity, and conservation efforts.
Supermassive Co-Founder and CCO Jon Austin explained the motivation behind the campaign. “Environmental leaders like Sir David Attenborough inspire us to learn more and do more for our planet.
We needed people to learn more and do more for the Great Barrier Reef, and so we set out to celebrate it in a whole new way: as a living champion of the environment; an individual whose ecological and cultural significance, and contribution to global marine science benefits us all. What better way of landing the point than by submitting it for the highest environmental honour possible? When we read the criteria for the UNEP’s Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognises “individuals who have made a lasting and significant contribution to protecting the planet over a lifetime”, and heard stories from scientists, Traditional Owners and communities about how the Great Barrier Reef – the world’s largest living entity – has protected our planet and its inhabitants for thousands of years, we knew we had a nominee that wasn’t just surprisingly eligible, but incredibly worthy.”
Tourism Tropical North Queensland General Manager – Marketing, Lani Cooper said: “This campaign is as ambitious as the ecosystem it represents. The Great Barrier Reef is a catalyst for environmental initiatives and this bold nomination repositions it not just as a natural wonder but as a global leader in its own right.
Working with Supermassive, we’ve created an integrated campaign that blends purpose with creativity to drive global awareness. From immersive experiences and strategic partnerships to social and digital storytelling, our aim is to galvanise a worldwide audience around a simple, powerful idea to give the Reef the recognition it deserves.”
In the US, 600 million impressions have already been achieved through a virtual broadcast media tour with Tourism Tropical North Queensland CEO Mark Olsen, and Marine Biologist Dr Eric Fisher, participating in 30 live-to-air media interviews, followed by a radio and podcast media tour with Mark Olsen and Marine Biologist and Master Reef Guide, Natalie Smith. A 30 second TVC via National Geographic and Disney will reach 1.17 million viewers over the next month, while a media partnership with Conde Nast Traveller runs until the end of May.
In the UK, a 21 metre, two storey high immersive walk-through tunnel takes audiences on a journey of the Lifetime of Greatness Project, reaching almost 1.4M in views per week in the heart of central London, along with a paid media partnership with The Guardian, and another radio and TV broadcast opportunity through Good Broadcast, with host and ex-Paralympian Ellie Simmonds and coverage to over 15 networks including BBC stations.
Europe includes coverage secured from recent in-region famil hosting of top media and partnerships with digital media platforms across Germany and Italy to over 250K readers.
In China and Japan, Lifetime of Greatness is running paid digital media and social media activity, along with earned media pitching and influencer partnerships.
Across ANZ, earned storytelling in PR, social media and influencer activity is supported by media placements with The Daily Aus, Australian Traveller and Stuff NZ.
A strategically selected digital OOH billboard has also been positioned at the home of the UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi to increase chances of capturing the attention of key decision makers.
Every touchpoint drives audiences to sign their support through a dedicated website, where they can learn other ways to help the Reef.
The global integrated campaign runs until the end of June. For more information and to sign your support, head to alifetimeofgreatness.com
CREDITS:
Client: Tourism Tropical North Queensland
Agency: Supermassive
Production Company: Chisel
Director: Jordan Watton / Emily Mays
Senior Producer: Emma Whitehouse
Photography: Beau Pilgrim
Design: Darren Cole
Social: Swirrl
Digital: Bang Media
Media planning and buying: Dentsu Media
PR:
Global strategy: Supermassive in collaboration with –
Australia & New Zealand: PEPR
USA: Imagination Marketing
UK: Rae White Communications
EUR: Global Spot
