Ocean Wise

breaking free from the sea of sameness 

Ocean Wise is an independent non-profit ocean conservation organization based in Vancouver, most well known for their association with the Vancouver Aquarium and sustainable seafood program. But following a shift in their ownership structure and a departure from the Aquarium, Ocean Wise found themselves drifting with low brand awareness, a fragmented message and a passive reputation. To fulfill their bold and ambitious 2030 strategy to create global impact, Ocean Wise partnered with us for a new brand strategy, identity and architecture. 

 welcome to
our lab

exploration

insight discovery

• Ocean Wise lost in a sea of sameness  
• Support for ocean conservation high (84% of Canadians) 
• Top 3 concerns: plastic pollution, climate change, over-fishing

solving the challenge

• Set Ocean Wise apart with bold new logo and brand identity 
• Unify master- and sub-brands under a new brand purpose: “We need the ocean; the ocean needs us.”
• Define 5 key partner personas with nuanced messaging strategy 

91% of survey respondents are willing to support ocean conservation through their purchase habits, but 45% said they wouldn’t know what to do to help. 

the execution

(unified branding that is bold, action-oriented and anything but ordinary)  

the logo & icon

collateral

the symbol

Did you know? Every second breath you take comes from the ocean. 

the results

it’s all about the results 

“We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something.”

― Mother Teresa