Zoe's Arch | Ash Communications

Raising awareness of the benefits of underwater sports and reducing pollution through record participation in beach cleaning

In the summer of 2019, Ash Communications was part of an ambitious public initiative designed to promote the mind and body benefits of underwater sports such as scuba diving and snorkelling and to change consumers’ behaviour towards the limited resources of the sea world. During this project, the team supported Zoe's Arch in finding a suitable sponsor and contributed towards spreading the main messages of the campaign to over 1,000,000 people. Ash assisted in devising the project's name, 'underwater echo', chosen to reflect an actual echo underwater and the campaign gaining momentum through word of mouth. Once it was launched, it led to the scuba diving spots being booked at full capacity and 700 participants signing up to experience underwater sports for the first time, while collecting a total of 43,390 pounds of rubbish from the beach. As a result, consumers' awareness about what sports can be practised at the seaside significantly increased, along with them having a better understanding of their environmental impact and how this can be lowered.

Key national and regional broadcast stations, news outlets, sustainability, lifestyle and women’s publications covered the topic throughout the three-month campaign, placing emphasis on the type of activities people can opt for while at sea, the alarming levels of marine pollution and the positive aspects that underwater sports can bring to one's life. This year’s environmental and educational underwater project was so well received that it is already preparing its comeback for 2020.