Droga5 shines a light on the threats to marine conservation through a series of handcrafted original screen-printed artworks

São Paulo, March 30, 2026 – Droga5 São Paulo, award-winning creative advertising agency, today announces the second phase of “Lifeless Flag”, a campaign created for SOS Oceano (SOS Ocean), a coalition of NGOs advocating for the expansion of marine protected areas.
 
 The first phase of the campaign, launched at Rio Ocean Week in October 2025, removed the blue and green from the Brazilian flag to demonstrate that one ecosystem cannot exist without the other. One needs blue to create green, and that without the blue of the oceans, there is no green life on land.
 
 This concept is made literal in the second phase through a series of six unique screen-printed artworks, produced using natural mineral pigments and developed in collaboration with Black Madre Studio and Joules & Joules Laboratory. 
 
 From the Amazon Rainforest to the Humpback Whale, each print draws on the tradition of Brazilian naturalist iconography by pairing marine and land flora and fauna. The yellow diamond of the Brazilian flag remains the focal point of each print, highlighting the fusion of the colors removed in the first phase.
 
 “The beginning of this project showed that design can condense a complex environmental truth into a single, felt symbol,” says Diego Limberti, Chief Design Officer at Droga5 São Paulo. “In this phase, the elements of the flag remain part of the campaign's visual process, but they are now reinterpreted to emphasize the animals that live in marine parks and their relationship with the forest. One biome depends on the other, and this is highlighted by the colors of Brazil's greatest symbol.”
 
 Screen printing was chosen because it is the ideal medium to ensure chromatic rigor and layered ink application, resulting in a unique expression, intrinsic to artisanal language.  It is also a medium with a deep history in graphic arts and artisanal production, reinforcing the narrative behind the project.
 
 The choice of natural pigments is deliberate, with the prints produced to be as consistent with their environmental message as with their visual one. Extensive research and pigment development was carried out in partnership with Joules & Joules Laboratory to achieve the correct hues, tones, and transparency without synthetic solvents.
 
 “The project is rooted in color theory. When we say ‘without blue there is no green,’ we’re working with the fundamental logic of primary and secondary colors: blue and yellow create green", says André Maciel, Creative Director at Black Madre Studio.
 
 The campaign was built alongside WALK, Droga5's impact innovation hub, which integrates impact intelligence and brand reputation to help clients increase their relevance in society. Through proprietary methodologies such as Index, Prisma, and the Weighted Impact KPI, the operation transforms cultural tensions and social causes into strategic, innovative, creative, and measurable communication solutions.

About Droga5 São Paulo
Recognized for over a decade as a leader in earned media and buzz, Droga5 São Paulo (formerly Soko) is an award-winning creative communications agency that turns attention into action and conversation into conversion.
 
Part of the global Droga5 network, with offices in São Paulo, New York, Dublin, Auckland, Tokyo, London, Sydney, and Melbourne, it ranks among Brazil’s five most exemplary and creative agencies, according to Agency Scope 2024/25, and was named the #1 agency in innovation in 2022/23.
 
In 2025, Droga5 won its first Grand Prix at Cannes Lions and has earned accolades at The One Show, Clio, Effie, and El Ojo, with campaigns for brands such as Stella Artois, Heinz, Dove, Guaraná Antarctica, Spotify, and Netflix.
 
About Black Madre Studio
With over 100 awards and international features, Black Madre is a visual arts and animation studio driven by handcrafted storytelling. Since 2011, we’ve collaborated with global brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Ambev, Netflix, Prime Video, Adidas, Puma, Heinz, Audi, Guinness, Blizzard, Corona, Johnnie Walker, Burger King, and Nubank, in partnership with leading creative agencies worldwide.

Our work has been recognized at festivals including Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio Awards, LIA, and The One Show, and published in respected outlets such as Lürzer’s Archive, Communication Arts, Directory, and Epica some of the most prestigious publications in the creative industry. We continue to craft bold visual narratives with authenticity, creativity, and a distinct artistic vision.
 
About SOS Oceano
SOS Oceano is an alliance of civil society organizations dedicated to marine and coastal conservation in Brazil, including Sea Shepherd Brazil, Rede Pró-UC, Instituto Baleia Jubarte, Divers for Sharks, Seaspiracy Foundation, Núcleo de Educação e Monitoramento Ambiental (NEMA), and Projeto Golfinho Rotador, supported by the Blue Marine Foundation. Its goal is to strengthen ocean protection, promote the ecological integrity of marine ecosystems, and mobilise society around a fair and inclusive “blue agenda.”
 
The coalition works collaboratively to develop joint campaigns, advocacy initiatives, and environmental education efforts to ensure effective protection of coastal and oceanic areas. The initiative aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) and the Global Biodiversity Framework, fostering cooperation between science, public management, and local communities.