How a great client changed my view of the world...
Frederic Terral
Creative Leadership & Operations: Build, Lead, Inspire Creative Teams ? Advisor ? Pockitudes Founder
Our agency has been so fortunate to partner with NOAA-IOOS on a major re-branding project (more on that in the future). Here is the official version of what U.S. IOOS is:
“…a vital tool for tracking, predicting, managing, and adapting to changes in our ocean, coastal and Great Lakes environment. U.S. IOOS delivers the data and information needed, so that decision-makers can take action to improve safety, enhance the economy, and protect the environment.”
I now know that U.S. IOOS is much more than these words copied and pasted from its website. U.S. IOOS is the eyes on the ocean, and it has completely changed my view of the world. Since partnering with the talented IOOS team, based in Silver Spring, MD, I have gained more awareness of our ocean. It sounds ridiculous to read that now, but I was shamefully detached from our ocean. It could be because I now live in Colorado, but I spent most of my childhood on Florida’s beaches. There’s no excuse, really.
“No matter how remote we feel we are from the ocean, every act each one of us takes in our everyday lives affects our planet’s water cycle and in return affects us.”
– Fabien Cousteau
As the team and I dove deeper into the depths of the IOOS “brand”, we gained so much respect for the agency’s effort, the research, the data, but most importantly, I gained a deeper emotional connection to OUR ocean. Today, I see our ocean every day. I see the ocean at Whole Foods when I struggle to select the most ocean-friendly seafood. I see it in Adidas, that made a shoe entirely from ocean plastic trash. I see the ocean here in Boulder, CO where Teens4oceans is empowering our next generations to become stewards for their ocean. Teens in COLORADO! I see it in companies like Patagonia, Seventh Generation, New Belgium Brewing, Nike, IKEA, Starbucks and so many more making an effort to be better citizens of the world.
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature he finds it attached to the rest of the world…” – John Muir
Even as I stare out my window at the majestic Flatirons, I see the ocean. The ocean has more impact on our planet than many of us are aware of. We take it for granted. We feel helpless. I felt helpless. In the end, it’s the tiniest things we do that CAN make a difference. If through our agency we can help recruit just one more person to view the ocean differently, we’ve made a difference. That’s what it’s about. It takes millions of us making tiny changes and contributions to turn a ripple into a wave. Ride on, humans. Ride on.
Visit https://www.ioos.noaa.gov/ for more information.
Thanks Fred!! It's been a pleasure working with you. We've learned so much. Kudos to you and your team for your excellent support, amazing ideas, and continued creative energy!