“Northern Plights”: A New Tourist Attraction Launches to Raise Alarm for the Baltic Sea on World Ocean Day
More information
Campaign’s creative agency:
Mikko Hakkarainen
Executive Creative Director
United Imaginations
+358 40 748 8641
mikko@unitedimaginations.fi
This summer, a “man-made natural wonder” is being promoted to visitors in Northern Europe: the swirling blue-green algae blooms of the Baltic Sea. In a bold twist, the Northern Plights campaign frames this ecological crisis as a tourist attraction, eerily echoing the beauty of the northern lights—perhaps the most iconic draw of the Nordic region. Behind the dark irony lies a stark truth: eutrophication is suffocating one of the world’s most fragile seas. Created for the John Nurminen Foundation, the campaign aims to raise global awareness and inspire donations—while there’s still time to save the Baltic Sea. The campaign launches in time for World Ocean Day on June 8th.
This summer, a new and haunting “natural wonder” is being promoted to tourists visiting the Nordic region: vast, swirling green blooms on the surface of the Baltic Sea that resemble the northern lights. But unlike their celestial counterparts, these eerie shapes are no miracle of nature—they are a warning sign.
“Nowadays, there might be a better chance of seeing algae suffocating the Baltic Sea than catching the real northern lights,” says Elina Lehtinen, Communications director at John Nurminen Foundation.
“Northern Plights”, the new campaign by the John Nurminen Foundation reimagines algae blooms as tourist attractions to confront one of the Baltic Sea’s gravest threats: eutrophication. The campaign launches across Helsinki and the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, urging international travelers, environmentalists, and decision-makers to look beneath the surface—literally and figuratively.
A Faux Travel Campaign with a Real Message
Styled as a tourism campaign, Northern Plights features ironic postcards (“Wish You Weren’t Here,” “Greetings from a Dying Sea”), a pop-up Tourist Information Center in the heart of Helsinki, and striking outdoor ads at Helsinki and Nice (France) airports as well as across both cities during the UN Ocean Conference (June 9–13). On social media, one of Finland’s top comedians, Inkeri Hyvönen, plays the role of a cheerful tourist guide eager to profit from the new ‘natural wonder.’ Every touchpoint leads to the campaign site – johnnurminenfoundation.fi/en/save – where visitors are invited not only to learn, but to donate.
The algae blooms showcased in the campaign are a result of eutrophication, caused by excessive nutrient loading from agriculture, forestry, and other human activities. This leads to oxygen-depleted dead zones, loss of marine biodiversity, and devastating consequences for one of the world’s most fragile seas.
Supporting the John Nurminen Foundation
The John Nurminen Foundation, one of the most effective marine conservation organizations in Northern Europe, has worked for over 30 years to restore the ecological balance of the Baltic Sea. The foundation’s science-based actions have already resulted in tangible reductions in nutrient discharges—and is considered a world-record in marine conservation.
“With ‘Northern Plights,’ we want to shake people out of passive concern and into urgent action,” continues Elina Lehtinen. “The Baltic Sea is among the most polluted seas in the world, and the impact of climate change and biodiversity loss are becoming evident here faster than in other oceans.”
Representatives from John Nurminen Foundation are going to the UN Ocean Conference in Nice as a part of the delegation of Finland. The foundation is promoting stronger cooperation in marine protection among various stakeholders and is actively engaged in driving progress on issues such as maritime chemical emissions, underwater restoration, and pollution from land-based activities.
Call to Action
To reverse the damage and ensure that future generations inherit a living sea – not just a beautiful postcard – donations can be made directly at johnnurmisensaatio.fi/en/save. Contributions support ongoing initiatives that reduce phosphorus and nitrogen loads, protect biodiversity, and promote sustainable marine practices.
The campaign is made in collaboration with the creative agencies United Imaginations (concept, creative idea, marketing executions) and Cocoa (film and image production).
Media kit link for images and further info: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1I-23f0mXeyeXE4w0-2Vl1SKAe6-J70TI