Reframing the global conversation through Our Reefs, Our Future

Bloomberg Ocean Initiative, WWF, WCS and TNC

Sector and focus area

Ocean conservation • Climate resilience • Science communications • Global campaigns

Context and challenge

For decades, public discussion around coral reefs has focused on decline and loss, often leaving policymakers and the public with a sense that protecting reefs is an impossible challenge.

New research from 50 Reefs+ presented a different story. By identifying the reefs most likely to survive climate change, it showed where protection and investment could have the greatest long-term impact.

Greenhouse was appointed to launch Our Reefs, Our Future – a global campaign designed to translate complex science into an optimistic, action-focused narrative that could influence policymakers, engage partners and build momentum around reef conservation ahead of the Our Ocean Conference.

Our approach and strategy

Greenhouse developed an integrated communications campaign that repositioned coral reefs from a story of inevitable decline to one of resilience, opportunity and action.

The campaign combined strategic messaging, creative storytelling and partner activation to make complex scientific research accessible to policymakers, journalists and global audiences.

Key elements of the strategy included:

• • Developing the Our Reefs, Our Future campaign identity, messaging and visual brand.
• • Translating complex scientific research into compelling stories across film, digital content and the campaign website.
• • Producing creative assets and advocacy materials to support coordinated partner communications.
• • Delivering an integrated media, social media and LinkedIn campaign around the launch of the 50 Reefs+ research.
• • Supporting campaign activity around the Our Ocean Conference to maximise visibility among policymakers and stakeholders.
  

Outcomes and impact

The campaign successfully shifted the conversation around coral reefs from climate loss to climate resilience, positioning the research as a rare source of optimism and a compelling call for urgent conservation action.

Our Reefs, Our Future quickly became a recognisable global campaign, establishing a consistent platform for partner communications while generating strong engagement across digital channels in the weeks following launch. The integrated campaign also secured significant international media coverage, helping position coral reef conservation within wider climate and ocean policy debates.

Why this work matters

Coral reefs support the livelihoods, food security and coastal protection of hundreds of millions of people, yet public conversations too often focus only on what has already been lost.

By translating complex scientific research into a hopeful, evidence-led campaign, Greenhouse helped shift the global narrative towards resilience and action. The campaign demonstrated how strategic communications can turn scientific insight into public engagement, influence international policy discussions and build momentum for conservation where it can have the greatest impact.