Key Takeaways:
- McKinney and WCS turn everyday fish wrap into a petition to protect the Hudson Canyon, a vital but unprotected marine ecosystem.
- The analog-first campaign meets seafood lovers where they are: at the fish counter and with a message that’s both urgent and personal.
- A companion short film and multi-channel rollout aim to build momentum toward securing National Marine Sanctuary status for the canyon.
Most New Yorkers have never heard of the Hudson Canyon — but their next seafood purchase might help save it.
Creative agency McKinney and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) are using local fish markets across New York and New Jersey to launch an unconventional petition drive.
The campaign aims to protect one of the East Coast’s most vital but unprotected marine ecosystems.
Located just 100 miles off the coast of New York City, the Hudson Canyon is the largest underwater canyon in the U.S. East Coast.
It’s home to hundreds of species including whales, cold-water coral, dolphins, and sea turtles. It also plays a vital role in supporting commercial fishing and the regional seafood economy.
And yet it remains unprotected and vulnerable to offshore drilling for oil, gas, and minerals.
To raise awareness and drive action, McKinney and WCS have printed a formal petition directly onto custom fish wrapping paper.
With every wrapped fish, seafood buyers receive their order and a call to protect the very waters that brought it to shore.
"We're giving New Yorkers a chance to become part of the movement to preserve the canyon. Drawing from Gyotaku, the traditional Japanese artform, we printed a petition directly onto custom fish wrapping paper to drive signatures," Omid Amidi, co-chief creative officer at McKinney, told DesignRush.
The campaign channels the spirit of Old New York, using hand-drawn illustrations based on real fish caught in local waters to create the wrapping’s distinctive look.
"Our number one goal of the campaign is to secure public support for NY and NJ’s Hudson Canyon through thousands of petition signatures. Yet first we had to connect people with the ocean in their backyard in a meaningful way and inform them of this incredibly massive canyon off the Atlantic Coast that requires protection," added Christine Ocosekoski, executive director at Wildlife Conservation Society.
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McKinney took an analog-first approach to speak directly to the people most affected by the canyon’s future — fishmongers, chefs, home cooks, and seafood lovers.
To further amplify the message, McKinney is also releasing a gritty, monologue-driven film featuring a fisherman urging viewers to “save the fish” because “you don’t wanna bite the body of water that feeds you.”
The film directs audiences to wcs.org/hudsoncanyon, where they can learn more and sign the petition.
The integrated campaign launched June 9, the day after World Oceans Day, and will run across print, radio, out-of-home, TVC, online video, and social media channels.
McKinney and WCS aim to generate enough public momentum to secure National Marine Sanctuary status for the Hudson Canyon before its future is left up to chance.
Protecting Hudson Canyon
The short film tells the story of Hudson Canyon, a massive underwater canyon just off the coast of New York and New Jersey.
It’s home to hundreds of marine species, including the fresh Atlantic seafood many of us eat every week.
It’s where your fish guy gets his fish. But now, that ecosystem is under threat from offshore oil, gas, and mineral drilling.
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To get the word out during World Oceans Month, select seafood markets in New York and New Jersey are wrapping their fish in custom butcher paper printed with a message of support.
Each wrapper also features a QR code that takes you straight to the petition.
Our Take: Why Analog Activism Still Works
Not everything needs to live on a screen to make an impact.
McKinney and WCS took their message straight to the seafood counter using butcher paper as both packaging and petition. It’s low-tech, unexpected, and hard to ignore.
For marketers, it’s a reminder that meeting people where they are doesn’t always mean online.
For conservation groups, it shows that creative, grassroots efforts can still drive national momentum.
And for anyone trying to spark real action, this campaign is proof: when the message is clear and the moment feels personal, people pay attention.
Previously, the Humane Society reintroduced itself as Humane World for Animals on Valentine’s Day, unveiling a global identity backed by an animated campaign.
From fish wrap to film, these creative agencies turn bold ideas into real-world impact:
