Wilson, previously known from the film Cast Away, makes a surprising appearance in this potent political campaign.
In the whopping 25 years since Wilson, the undisputed volleyball star of Hollywood, graced our screens as Tom Hanks' trusty companion in Cast Away, the elusive major role has eluded him – that is, until now. But what would Wilson look like with today's advanced AI de-aging technology? Well, a chilling new campaign offers us a glimpse.
Crafted by the brilliant minds at Africa Creative, The Odyssey of Wilson campaign merges immersive web design, filmmaking, public art installations in coastal cities, and live activations during sports broadcasts. This creative juggernaut is steered by the Onda Azul Institute in collaboration with telecoms powerhouse Vivo, with the common goal of championing UNESCO's groundbreaking scientific frameworks ahead of the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice.
A poignant tale, this one. Wilson embarks on a metaphorical voyage through the world's neglected and abused oceans, serving as a symbol for the devastation wrought by the ever-present scourge of plastic waste. What's more, the project illuminates four and a half centuries of environmental change – from Wilson's birth to his eventual decay – through real and riveting datasets.
Following currents, tides, and climate events, the heartrending digital journey of our favorite castaway volleyball takes in horrors such as acidification, ice shelf collapse, and rising sea levels. This isn't just your regular dose of grim reality filled with dreary statistics; no, this is a sobering, emotional rollercoaster that seeks to humanize science and resonate with a broader audience who may be initially wary of, or uninterested in, maritime pollution data.
André Luis Esteves, director at the Rio de Janeiro-based Onda Azul Institute, puts it simply: "This project is about making science human. By following Wilson's journey, we illustrate decades of invisible damage caused by plastic waste – and why it urgently needs global attention. With Vivo and inspired by UNESCO's scientific leadership, we’ve transformed data into a story people can feel."
Like a PSA on steroids, The Odyssey of Wilson masterfully transforms complex, data-driven oceanographic insights into a gripping and emotional narrative. Raphael Vandystadt, VP of Sustainability at Africa Creative, adds, "Science alone doesn't move people – stories do. By turning complex data into a powerful visual journey, we help make the invisible visible. Communication plays a strategic role in mobilizing collective action for our oceans ahead of the UN Ocean Conference."
Now, who says a classic volleyball can't save the world? Kudos to this intersection of design, technology, and activism for bringing ocean conservation to center court. You can experience The Odyssey of Wilson firsthand at 450yearsatsea.com.
In other creative branding news, catch a glimpse of Vitaminwater's rebranded logo and wave goodbye to McDonald's CosMc's – y'know, if you're into that sort of thing.
- The Odyssey of Wilson campaign, a collaboration between Africa Creative, Onda Azul Institute, and Vivo, merges web design, filmmaking, public art installations, and sports activations, aiming to highlight the impact of plastic waste on the ocean.
- Wilson embarks on a digital journey through The Odyssey of Wilson, a metaphorical voyage that visualizes four and a half centuries of environmental change, using real datasets to depict horrors like acidification, ice shelf collapse, and rising sea levels.
- The campaign seeks to humanize science, connecting with a broader audience who may initially be wary of or uninterested in maritime pollution data, transforming complex data into a gripping and emotional narrative.
- André Luis Esteves, director at the Onda Azul Institute, explains that the project's goal is to make science human, demonstrating decades of damage caused by plastic waste, and emphasizing its urgent need for global attention.
- Raphael Vandystadt, VP of Sustainability at Africa Creative, states that communication plays a crucial role in mobilizing collective action for the oceans, turning complex data into a powerful visual journey that makes the invisible visible.
- In addition to The Odyssey of Wilson, Vitaminwater rebrands its logo, while McDonald's CosMc bids farewell, signifying changes in creative branding within popular culture.
- The heartrending digital journey of Wilson offers a reflection of pop-culture, as it blends web design, art, and graphics, immersing viewers in the story of a volleyball and its symbolic representation of ocean conservation.
- Innovations in technology and design continue to interweave with art and entertainment, using visual storytelling to raise awareness about pressing social and environmental issues, creating campaigns that evoke emotion and inspire change, such as The Odyssey of Wilson and many others yet to come.
