Salmon Defense
Pacific Northwest salmon are essential to Washington state's environment, economy and culture, and have been an integral part of local tribes’ way of life for millennia. Yet current salmon runs have declined to near-extinction. Indigenous-led nonprofit Salmon Defense tapped C+C to raise awareness about the urgency of restoring salmon populations. The Salmon Warriors campaign focused on the ecological and cultural importance of salmon, spotlighting the unlikely allies coming together to save them.
The Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Coalition includes tribal leaders, environmental scientists, government agencies, fishers, conservation groups and local industry. These real-life, behind-the-scenes heroes were essential to the authenticity of the campaign. Their voices and important work were captured in depth by production partner Invisible Collective over a 4-day video and photo shoot at 12 locations throughout the Salish Sea. Pairing powerful visual storytelling with PR, social media and advertising, the Salmon Warriors campaign educated local residents and inspired them to take action and support salmon conservation.
Results
• 19.8M video views, 1.8 million audio listens, nearly 600 newsletter signups, increased social followers by an average of 400% and website traffic by a whopping 11,407%.
• Feature story coverage in key local outlets, including an op-ed placed in The Seattle Times.
• A coveted invitation for the Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Coalition to host a panel at South by Southwest 2025.
• Industry recognition from the American Advertising Federation, Public Relations Society of America, and more.