We recently published a press release for the OAAA and National Geographic’s Photo Ark Launch Nationwide “Pledge to Pollinate” Campaign to Celebrate Photo Ark’s 20th Anniversary. We wanted to learn more about the campaign’s development and reached out to Melody Roberts, Founder & CCO of outofhomecreative.com, who designed it.

Can you give a background to the partnership?

The conservation documentary project, now in its 20th year, has been a collaborative effort between OAAA and National Geographic for nearly a decade. The year also marks the 20th anniversary of the National Geographic Photo Ark founded by Explorer and Photographer, Joel Sartore, in an effort to photograph over 17,000 species before they disappear and to get people to care while there’s still time.

Tell us about campaign development.

During the development of their campaign, NatGeo was open to receiving creative feedback. Last fall, we met with their team to review their concepts. I presented ways how using OOH best practices would define their message and create more impact by focusing on Joel’s photographs. As a result of those recommendations, they asked me to revise the campaign. There were understandable restrictions on Joel’s photography; no modifications, different color backgrounds, or cropping where a species appeared to be injured. The National Geographic Photo Ark features thousands of stunning, intimate portraits by Joel Sartore. To highlight a species, I considered asset formats, viewing distances, and emotional resonance.

I worked closely with the NatGeo team to shift the narrative focus and restructure the copy for immediate consumer action. We successfully pivoted the campaign around PledgeToPollinate.com. Instead of just asking people to care about disappearing species, we gave them a micro-action that they could take immediately: planting native seeds to rebuild local ecosystems.

Collaborating with the NatGeo team to develop a campaign that leveraged OOH to protect essential species was so rewarding. With pollinator populations declining alarmingly, this initiative offers a simple, accessible way for individuals to take meaningful action for wildlife conservation. Audiences are directed to PledgeToPollinate.com to pledge. In return, they will receive a free Photo Ark–branded packet of regional, native, pollinator-friendly seeds by mail.

When did it launch?

In conjunction with Endangered Species Day, it launched at the 2026 OOH Media Conference. It was great to see the campaign live at the airport when I was heading home.

What can OOH companies do to help support them?

OOH media companies are invited to participate by displaying campaign creative and amplify the Pledge to Pollinate to help extend the campaign’s reach. Download creative assets at https://oaaa.org/resources/national-geographic-pledge-to-pollinate

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