SYDNEY, Australia: Everywhere we turn it seems another iconic business is jumping on board the plastic pollution bandwagon – but we’re not complaining. One such company is Corona. In partnership with oceans advocacy organisation Parley for the Oceans, Corona is hijacking iconic symbols of paradise to show the impact of plastic pollution in our oceans. This campaign is timed to commemorate World Oceans Week (which is celebrated this week) and World Oceans Day which is celebrated today. It also follows on from World Environment Day which was also celebrated early this week.
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According to new research commissioned by Corona, around eight million metric tons of plastic waste makes its way into the ocean each year, which works out to be 1,580kg dumped in Australia’s oceans every hour. Furthermore, the company found three-quarters of Australians (74 percent) underestimate or have no idea about how much plastic is entering the oceans, with just seven percent of the population even aware of how much plastic enters our oceans.
The company is looking to change this. To initiate a global conversation about the growing plastic problem, Corona and Parley strategically placed plastic into places where it doesn’t belong. One such installation is a 1,580kg ‘Wave of Waste’ made of recyclable plastics in Melbourne’s iconic Federation Square to drive awareness around the actual amount of plastic entering our waters each hour. Australian actor and keen surfer Chris Hemsworth recruited to be the face of the campaign, surfs the billboard’s plastic-polluted wave, accompanied by the clever millennial-targeted tagline “From where you’d rather be?”
“Corona is on a mission to protect paradise and plastic pollution is the most visible issue affecting paradise today,” says Andy Vance, Marketing Manager, Corona Australia. “It’s clear that Australians are unaware of the amount of the plastic entering our oceans every hour, so we’ve set out to raise awareness in the lead up to Ocean’s Day by hijacking iconic symbols of paradise to visually bring to life the plastic pollution epidemic that everyday Australians are contributing to, and hopefully change Australians mindset to plastic usage.”
It’s not all bad news. The company’s research findings also revealed that when Australians are confronted with the amount of plastic entering the waterways, the majority (89%) said they would make an effort to reduce their usage of single-use plastic.
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“Our research shows that when Aussies are made aware of the impact plastic pollution has on Australian oceans, the majority are willing to act on it and make a pledge to reduce their single-use plastic usage. We’re hoping this wave can make Aussies aware of the very real threat that is risking the health of our own shorelines and marine life, and be a catalyst to change the way Aussies use plastic in their day-to-day lives,” added Vance.
Corona is also ‘hijacking’ other iconic places too. The company is using plastic from nearby beaches to build installations on top of its billboards in London, Santiago, Bogota, Santo Domingo and Lima. Like in Melbourne, people will be able to visit the locations of the billboards and drop off their own plastic waste to be added to the ‘Wave of Waste’.
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Last month, Corona and Parley’s partnership also changed the name of the “Corona Bali Pro” World Surf League event to “Corona Bali Protected” to drive home the point that even the most remote and aspirational tropical paradises around the globe are affected by plastic waste. The partners also announced a fundraising platform called Clean Waves in May that upcycles plastic pollution into fashion products for purchase, with all proceeds going to additional island protection.
“As a brand that is synonymous with the beach, we are seeing the destruction of shorelines and oceans up close,” said Felipe Ambra, Global VP of Corona. “Our ads usually showcase paradise the way we assume it to be, pristine and beautiful, but today it’s increasingly hard to find a beach without plastic. Through our work with Parley, we hope to reverse this trend. This World Oceans Day, Corona wants to remind the world that we all need to protect our beaches to continue enjoying them.”
For more information about marine plastic pollution and Corona and Parley’s commitment to protecting islands around the world, visit CoronaXParley.com
Want to reduce the amount of plastic you consume? This post will guide you to living a life with less plastic.
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