McCann on Turning The Tide With Reef-Protecting Sunscreen

When it comes to the health of our oceans, few environmental threats are as overlooked – and as preventable – as sunscreen pollution. With over 14,000 tons of sunscreen washing into our seas every year and the majority of brands using chemicals toxic to marine ecosystems, McCann’s creative team saw an urgent need for change.

LBB sat down with group executive creative director, Jon Elsom, to find out how this initial passion project evolved into a global campaign with real-world impact.

At the heart of the initiative is Coral Care™, the world’s first coral-positive sunscreen, and the launch of Reef Protection Factor, a new, verifiable certification designed to protect marine life and drive industry-wide reform.

Jon walks us through the campaign’s inspiration, its science-backed journey, and the power of purpose-driven work to catalyse meaningful environmental progress.

LBB> What was the initial spark or insight that led to the conception of this campaign?

Jon> This initiative began as a bit of a passion project, driven particularly by our senior creatives, Fred Corazza and Alex Smith. The core insight stemmed from the alarming reality that coral reefs, which support 25% of marine life and one billion people, are severely threatened by toxic chemicals found in over 80% of sunscreen brands. With an estimated 14,000 tons of sunscreen entering our oceans each year, the need for a genuinely reef-safe solution became undeniably clear. Further research revealed a critical gap: the term ‘reef safe’ was unregulated and open to greenwashing. We recognised the opportunity for change and created a new, verifiable standard for the industry, as well as a world-first innovation in new product development.

LBB> What was the client brief and how closely did the final campaign align with that original ask?

Jon> The initial brief was fundamentally centred around supporting and protecting coral reefs, but it has now become so much bigger. We wanted to address the growing threat posed by chemical pollution, particularly from sunscreens, and to provide consumers with a trustworthy way to make informed choices.

After a year of intensive research into coral reefs and the sunscreen industry, we partnered with suncream brand Stream2Sea as our formulation and manufacturing expert and the University of Derby as our coral science research collaborator. Working alongside Stream2Sea, we developed Coral Care™, a sunscreen that doesn’t harm coral, it actually nourishes it.

After 18 weeks of rigorous testing led by Professor Sweet at the University of Derby, our formula was proven to enhance coral growth by up to 29% compared to untreated water and by 50% compared to leading eco-friendly sunscreens.

But our research had also highlighted that many brands were misleadingly claiming to be ‘reef-safe’ despite containing harmful chemicals. To combat this, we, in collaboration with the University of Derby, introduced a new industry certification: Reef Protection Factor (RPF). Coral Care™ became the first product to receive RPF certification, establishing a new benchmark for the industry and providing consumers with a trustworthy way to identify truly reef-safe products.

Thanks to RPF and Coral Care™, we are helping to directly address the issue of harmful chemicals in sunscreens and empower consumers to make reef-friendly choices. In essence, we have stayed true to our core mission of protecting coral reefs and promoting sustainable practices within the sunscreen industry – but we are really only at the beginning of our journey.

LBB> What role do you think purpose-driven advertising plays in today’s landscape – and how did that influence your creative approach?

Jon> We’ve all seen the proliferation of purpose-driven work in recent years in the industry, and more recently, the balance shifting again to bring back entertainment-based and humour-driven work. Purpose-driven creativity increased in no small part due to social media making the world’s issues more publicly known and felt. And when this kind of work is well-conceived and executed, it can bring about real change.

This brief already had purpose baked into it. With the need to raise awareness of the damage being done to coral by ordinary sunscreen, and lack of regulation in the industry, our task was clear and we knew we needed a strong idea and tone of voice. However, we knew that just another awareness campaign would not be enough. Which is why we pushed and pushed until a brilliantly simple idea was born – to turn the problem into the solution, by creating a sunscreen that actually feeds coral, and also carries a new certification mark to accelerate global change.

LBB> Creating this product took four years. What were some of the key milestones – and roadblocks – on the path to launching RPF as a viable product?

Jon> It has certainly been filled with significant milestones and challenges. One of the most notable milestones was the development of Coral Care™ and its unique formula, making it the world's first sunscreen that not only avoids harming coral but actively nourishes it. Initially, Professor Sweet's testing showed an 8% increase in coral growth, but after further testing, it’s now proven to nourish coral by 29% more than adding nothing to the water. This astonishing result is something we are incredibly excited by.

Establishing RPF as a new benchmark for the industry is certainly another key milestone. We now have two coral testing facilities set up in the UK and Germany – one at the University of Derby and another at the University of Bremen, enabling us to certify products for RPF. This empowers the industry to become more sustainable and helps consumers identify products that genuinely protect our vital marine ecosystems.

We've also expanded globally through strategic partnerships as part of an education and awareness programme in key marine regions, including Thailand, Malaysia, the UK, USA, Hawaii, the Bahamas, and Puerto Rico. From global partnerships with tourist boards and eco-organisations to developing a children's book and amplifying our message through sand art stunts and digital OOH activations, we are incredibly proud to be spreading the RPF message and raising awareness worldwide.

It's been a long and educational journey, and we've had to get to grips with everything from FDA registration to environmental accreditations – stuff we never thought we'd be dealing with. However, when you can see the genuine difference you are making, it makes it all worthwhile.

LBB> How did you balance storytelling and advocacy with the need for commercial credibility and impact?

Jon> Education and awareness were crucial to our campaign, and they continue to be. Which is why we’ve partnered with over 40 global organisations of all kinds, to spread the word, and encourage reef-friendly sunscreen usage. But at the same time, together with our client Stream2Sea, we have been busy striking global distribution deals for Coral Care™ and attracting other sunscreen brands to the cause. These other brands have been invited to test their existing products at our independent testing centres, and also have been offered the opportunity to instantly create their own reef-positive brand with Stream2Sea white-labelling the Coral Care formula. Every element of our activity has been designed to get reef-friendly or reef-positive sunscreen into the hands – and on to the bodies – of as many people as possible, as soon as possible.

LBB> Looking back, what did this campaign teach you about the power (and limits) of advertising to drive real-world change?

Jon> I have been blown away by the positivity we have encountered throughout this process. I’ve never worked on a project before where every single organisation and individual that you talk to wants to come on board immediately. And most importantly, coral scientists, coral farmers, coastal eco organisations – all the experts closest to the actual science of marine biology – have given their support to our project. They can see the potential for real and achievable change in the short-term.

Reef Protection Factor has the feel-good factor.