Competition entry - 2025 - Origin by Ocean

IN BRIEF

During New York Climate Week 2024, Origin by Ocean launched "The Blue Planet vs. The Red Planet – Where Should We Invest?"

The campaign reframed ocean restoration as a trillion-dollar economic opportunity, contrasting the immediate benefits of saving Earth's oceans with the speculative allure of Mars colonization.

Leveraging their algae-based oil alternatives, the campaign attracted high-level investors, gained media attention, and positioned Origin by Ocean as a leader in sustainable industrial innovation.

ObO_Ocean_pollution

THE GLOBAL PROBLEM

Oceans, covering 71% of Earth, support a $2.5 trillion economy and nearly 3 billion livelihoods. Yet, pollution has caused invasive algae blooms, destroying ecosystems and local economies. Despite its potential, ocean restoration is underfunded. Investing $2.8 trillion could yield $15.5 trillion in benefits by 2050.

20241127-OBO18747

THE COMPANY

Origin by Ocean is a Finnish biotech innovator remaking the chemical industry by turning harmful algae into sustainable oil alternatives for industries like food, cosmetics, and packaging.

OriginbyOcean-Product-Mockup_858372348-1

THE CHALLENGE

In Finland, investors were hesitant to commit millions, while international investors, particularly in markets like the US, sought much larger, globally significant projects. How do you captivate international investors amidst a competitive and noisy landscape dominated by larger, more established players?

The market for purpose-driven companies is crowded. Investors interested in impacts hear about altruistic companies every other day.

Ocean restoration was reframed as a trillion-dollar investment opportunity. By contrasting the measurable returns of Earth's "blue economy" with the speculative risks of Mars colonization, the campaign repositioned Origin by Ocean as a high-reward, industrial player.

Origin_by_Ocean_trillions_lowres-1

Investors could not afford to miss a once-in-a-lifetime transformative moonshot. According to the High Level Panel for A Sustainable Ocean Economy, the return on investment for ocean health is five-fold.
_{(Chart: The Economist)}

Obo_earth_mars3

OCEANS VS. MARS

The campaign drew on the global fascination with Mars exploration, propelled by the richest men in the world, using it as a rhetorical counterpoint to emphasise the untapped potential of Earth's oceans.

By contrasting the tangible returns of Earth's blue economy with the speculative nature of investing in Mars colonisation, Origin by Ocean reframed their proposition into a compelling narrative of a trillion-dollar economic opportunity to also change the world into a more sustainable one.

Obo_earth_mars2

TARGET GROUP: INVESTORS

To resonate with investors, the campaign highlighted the scalability and industrial viability of algae-based solutions.

This positioning shifted perceptions of Origin by Ocean from a niche environmental innovator to a serious industrial player offering high-reward opportunities.

newsletter-2023-08_12

SHORT-TERM: 2024

The strategy was to launch the campaign during New York Climate Week 2024, leveraging the global spotlight on sustainability to amplify its reach.

Amid the heated US Presidential election, where Elon Musk was publicly advocating for allocating trillions toward colonising Mars, Origin by Ocean delivered a wake-up call: “Where should we invest: the Blue Planet or the Red Planet?”

This campaign capitalised on the political and cultural moment, drawing a stark comparison between the tangible benefits of investing in Earth’s oceans and the speculative risks of focusing on Mars.

LONG-TERM: 2050

The strategy was to frame the future of the industry through a 2050 lens: circular, regenerative, and blue. By focusing on the trajectory of global industrial shifts, Origin by Ocean tied its mission to the economic and ecological future investors are betting on.

Origin by Ocean was not positioned as a niche innovator, but as a transformative player in the emerging $15.5 trillion blue economy, tying its mission to one of the most promising economic shifts of the 21st century.

Execution

Polarising planets

The campaign creatively used the symbolic colours of red and blue to emphasise the comparison between Mars (red) and Earth’s oceans (blue). This striking visual dichotomy was applied across all campaign materials, from the website to social media graphics. Blue is the colour of life on planet Earth, so the images in blue were full of life.

The campaign combined a bold vision for the future with a timely and provocative message, positioning Origin by Ocean as a key player during New York Climate Week 2024.

An engaging and provoking digital experience

The centrepiece of the campaign was an interactive website that juxtaposed the potential investment paths of oceans and Mars. Through a visually compelling interface, users explored scenarios ranging from $0 to $3 trillion investments, with data-driven insights showing the measurable economic and environmental returns of marine ecosystem restoration. The campaign was boosted with social media marketing and direct email campaigning.

Website

Origin by Ocean blue-vs-red_website

Highlighted $0–$3 trillion investment scenarios for oceans vs. Mars.

Social media

Origin by Ocean blue-vs-red_some

Targeted both younger audiences on Instagram and investors on LinkedIn with compelling visuals.

Newsletter

Origin by Ocean blue-vs-red_newsletter

Linked to investor deck, detailing the business model and algae-based solutions.

Instagram

Capturing attention

The Instagram campaign used bold visuals to contrast Earth’s thriving blue oceans with the barren red of Mars, reinforcing the investment choice and driving engagement and traffic to the campaign website.

LinkedIn

Engaging investors

On LinkedIn, the focus was on financial impact. Posts highlighted the trillion-dollar potential of the blue economy, positioning Origin by Ocean as a serious industrial player.

Short, sharp captions framed ocean restoration as a high-stakes opportunity. Investor engagement soared, leading to direct inquiries and high-value discussions.

Obo_earth_mars1

Investment Level
$0

Investment Level
$0

Colonizing Mars: No progress. Only theoretical planning. Potential long-term risks if Earth becomes uninhabitable.

Saving Earth's Oceans: No restoration. Ocean ecosystems continue to decline, costing $2.5 trillion/year due to degradation of fisheries, tourism, and ecosystem services.

Obo_earth_mars4

Investment Level
$100 million

Investment Level
$100 million

Colonizing Mars: Negligible impact. Basic research funding (e.g., technology testing for Mars rovers, atmospheric analysis). Minimal return. Funds R&D but no immediate economic benefit.

Saving Earth's Oceans: Positive but small impact. Pilot projects for marine pollution control and reef restoration. Minor gains for local coastal tourism and fishing industries, returns around $500 million.

Obo_earth_mars2

Investment Level
$500 million

Investment Level
$500 million

Colonizing Mars: Minimal impact. Robotic missions, small-scale technological experiments on Mars. Could test limited habitats for future use. Small scientific returns. Economic benefits highly speculative and decades away.

Saving Earth's Oceans: Moderate impact. Coastal restoration projects across multiple regions, mitigating damage to coral reefs and fisheries. Could reverse some pollution and prevent further economic loss. Estimated return of $2.5 billion, saving local industries from collapse.

Obo_earth_mars5

Investment Level
$1 billion

Investment Level
$1 billion

Colonizing Mars: Low impact. Major robotic mission (like a Mars rover or lander), along with research into human survival on Mars (e.g., growing food). Long-term scientific gain, but no economic benefit.

Saving Earth's Oceans: High impact. Large-scale marine projects to restore biodiversity hotspots, create marine protected areas (MPAs), and improve coastal defenses.Estimated $5 billion in returns from sustainable fisheries, tourism, and biodiversity preservation.

Obo_earth_mars8

Investment Level
$10 billion

Investment Level
$10 billion

Colonizing Mars: Moderate impact. Funding a significant Mars mission sending humans on exploratory missions, such as NASA’s Artemis mission or SpaceX’s Mars program.

Saving Earth's Oceans: Very high impact. Restoring 30% of marine ecosystems through MPAs, curbing overfishing, and reducing ocean acidification. Generates up to $50 billion in economic benefits, protecting global fisheries and stabilizing coastal economies

Obo_earth_mars3

Investment Level
$100 billion

Investment Level
$100 billion

Colonizing Mars: Major progress. Fund initial infrastructure for human survival on Mars (building basic habitats, life support systems, solar power arrays, water production). Establishes a Mars outpost, but returns are still speculative. High risk of failure. Ongoing costs significant.

Saving Earth's Oceans: Transformational impact. Comprehensive restoration of global oceans, including full protection for marine biodiversity, massive carbon sequestration through marine vegetation (e.g., mangroves, sea grasses). Generates $500 billion in economic benefits through sustainable blue industries (biotechnology, fisheries, ecotourism, coastal resilience)

Obo_earth_mars6

Investment Level
$1 trillion

Investment Level
$1 trillion

Colonizing Mars: Possible establishment of a permanent human outpost on Mars. Sustainable agriculture and water recovery systems may be developed, allowing for ongoing missions. No guarantee of long-term economic viability. High maintenance and supply costs. Potential for long-term gains if space mining or tourism develops (decades away).

Saving Earth's Oceans: Global transformation. Full-scale ocean recovery and carbon offset system, reversing oceanic degradation, boosting global food security, stabilizing climate. Estimated $5 trillion economic return from sustainable ocean industries, tourism, and carbon trading.

Obo_earth_mars7

Investment Level
$3 trillion

Investment Level
$3 trillion

Colonizing Mars: Expanded Mars infrastructure. Larger colonies, space agriculture, initial mining of Mars resources. Human life becomes semi-sustainable on Mars. Huge cost, uncertain returns. While space tourism or mining may generate revenue in the future, the timeline is unclear. Terraforming research begins on Mars, attempting to modify the atmosphere to support human life. Potential returns come from future space mining, tourism, or technological advancements. Risks of failure extremely high.

Saving Earth's Oceans: Ocean ecosystems fully restored. Oceanic industries dominate global trade. Fisheries, biotechnology, renewable energy (offshore wind, tidal) flourish. Climate stabilization achieved. Global reliance on marine-based energy, food, and carbon sequestration leads to economic and environmental stability. $15 trillion total returns over time, securing food, energy, and biodiversity benefits globally.

INVESTOR ENGAGEMENT

The campaign led to high-level investor discussions, including securing a €5M pre-round commitment, reflecting a shift toward larger, strategic investors.

Jutta_Urpilainen_Mari_Granström_SIDS4

BRAND VISIBILITY

The campaign received widespread attention during New York Climate Week, positioning Origin by Ocean as a leader in sustainable industrial innovation.

New York Climate Week 2024

NEW PARTNERSHIPS

Increased visibility translated into new partnerships and funding opportunities, aligning with the company’s vision of cleaning oceans and decarbonizing products.

The campaign led to partnerships in the Dominican Republic, enabling local communities to harvest invasive seaweed while creating sustainable feedstocks for a new circular economy.

Origin-by-Ocean-harvesting-sargassum_in_Punta_Cana_1

Impact in numbers

Impact in numbers

+233%

increase in investor contacts reached.

+693%

surge in website traffic, driven by investor-focused content.

+174%

growth in investor leads.

+81%

increase in new high-value investor contacts.