Six charities prepare national Drops in the Ocean OOH campaigns

Conservation, education and protection are at the heart of Ocean Outdoor’s annual environmental fund Drops in the Ocean, which returns for 2025 with six important environmental partners.

All of the beneficiaries chosen to share advertising space across Ocean’s UK portfolio to promote their work and build public support this year are UK based but are international leaders in their fields.

They are campaigning against the effects of factory farming on animals, communities and the environment; protecting wildlife and their habitats, sharks and the overfishing of threatened marine species; working to end the exploitation of wild animals in captivity; and the recovery of the marine ecosystem.

Each year, Ocean donates 2% of the UK’s reported revenue in screen space to organisations associated with sustainability and the preservation of the planet for current and future generations.

Two of this year’s causes – Compassion in World Farming and the Born Free Foundation –  are previous winners of Ocean’s annual Digital Creative Competition, winning screen space via that initiative for their charities in 2013 and 2016, respectively. Tank Free, the campaign for Born Free, went on to win a silver Cannes Lions.

Ocean Outdoor senior marketing manager Shona Dobson said: “If we can help improve animal welfare, show how we can all make better consumer choices, raise some money to rescue endangered species and drive awareness to help fund the conservation work of Bristol Zoo, then we will have significantly delivered on our mission. 

“Our 2025 Drops in the Ocean cohort includes new partners and old friends. We look forward to bringing their campaigns to life.”  

The 2025 beneficiaries, chosen from a list of 17 applications, are:

Compassion in World Farming  campaigns peacefully to end factory farming by creating sustainable food systems that benefit animals, people and the planet. 

Emma Hamm, senior campaigns manager, said: “This is an incredible opportunity for us to raise awareness of our End.It campaign to stop factory farming by highlighting the impact of intensive agriculture on local communities. Working with Drops in the Ocean will help us reach diverse audiences and stress the vital need to tackle this crisis before it’s too late. In a world of growing climate change, nature collapse and pandemic emergencies, ending factory farming has never been more urgent.”

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Bristol Zoological Society works in nine countries across four continents. Eight-five percent of the animals cared for are both threatened, and part of targeted conservation programmes.

Matthew Philpott, head of marketing, said: “Bristol Zoological Society is an international conservation and education charity; our mission is “Saving Wildlife Together”. Our vision is for wildlife to be a part of everyone’s lives and for people to want to, and be enabled to, protect wildlife now and for the future.

“Our charitable work, including national and international conservation action, learning and research, makes a difference on a global scale, and we believe that as a relatively small organisation, we make a big impact. This initiative will enable us to reach beyond our core audience in the South West and share our conservation stories more widely, inspiring more people to participate in our mission to save wildlife.”

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Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation wants to make Britain shark fin free by ending the use of shark products and threatened fish species in the food industry. 

Campaign director Graham Buckingham said: “Drops in the Ocean represents an unparalleled opportunity for the charity to rebrand sharks and highlight the significance of the oceans to life on earth. We want to leave the public in no doubt that there’s a benefit for everyone in protecting sharks from extinction and, while advertising that message has always been an out-of-reach dream, Drops in the Ocean will make that possible.” 

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Born Free Foundation is a leading wildlife charity which opposes the exploitation of wild animals held in captivity and works to protect their natural environments.

Molly Rutherford, corporate partnerships manager, said: “This partnership is a game changer for Born Free. The chance to connect with so many people is an extraordinary opportunity to raise awareness of the plight of wildlife and our work. We are so grateful to have this opportunity to amplify our vision of a world where wildlife and people live in harmony.”

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Canal & River Trust, a 2023 Drops in the Ocean partner, is the body responsible for keeping the nation’s historic canal network open and available to benefit society. 

Helen Keating, national campaigns, celebrity influencer manager, said: “People feel a deep emotional connection to canals.  This is shaped by childhood memories, daily routines and special moments by the water. Whether it’s spotting a kingfisher, opening a lock gate for the first time, or enjoying a sunset over the towpath, these experiences stay with people for life.  Winning this support will allow us to reach more people than ever before – showing them the beauty, history and environmental importance of our canals and how we can all get involved in the work that’s needed to keep them thriving.”

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Open Seas is campaigning for sustainable shellfish and fish consumption, promoting sustainable alternatives to damaging fishing industry practices which deplete stocks.

Nick Underdown, head of communication and campaigns, said: “This is a phenomenal opportunity for Open Seas to use the power of advertising to have a positive impact on our natural world. The life in our seas – and the sustainability of livelihoods that rely on it – are so often out of sight and out of mind. Ocean are giving us the chance to help change that by raising awareness about the threats facing our marine biodiversity and, crucially, what we, as citizens and consumers, can all do about it. Acting alongside so many communities with a deep stake in our seas, we are tremendously excited by the prospect of taking an urgent message from under the waves to high streets all over the land.”

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Stay tuned to see the campaigns come to life throughout the year.