MedPAN Turns Mediterranean Marine Life Into Tattoos Worth Protecting

MedPAN is a key organisation for the management of Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean. Its mission is to protect this fragile marine biodiversity whilst ensuring local economic vitality and sustainable tourism. Unfortunately, in a world in a state of perpetual crisis where every cause is vying for the attention of the wider public – particularly young people – the protection of marine biodiversity ranks at the very bottom of people’s concerns. The BETC Academy is a programme devised by the BETC agency to enable its young interns to showcase their talents, take risks and learn through working on a real-world brief in a real agency environment. Numerous clients have already taken part (Crédit Agricole, Decathlon, Canal+, FDJ, Disneyland Paris, MK2…), and one of the most recent editions featured MedPAN.

Whilst protecting the Mediterranean may not inspire the younger generation (61 per cent of young people consider deforestation and other climate issues to be a higher priority than protecting the oceans, and 47 per cent of 18–24-year-olds believe the ocean is still in good condition (BackToBlue 2024 study), its aesthetic fascinates them. So much so that they are getting tattoos of it: a 150 per cent increase in searches for beach- and ocean-inspired tattoos in one year, according to Certified Tattoo Studio. Yet among the symbols chosen, none truly reflects the richness and diversity of Mediterranean biodiversity.

To address this lack of awareness, the campaign capitalises on this trend by giving it meaning. As tattoos create a strong emotional bond with the wearer, they encourage concrete and visible action to preserve the Mediterranean.

An interactive map of committed tattoo artists.

Around ten tattoo artists based all around the Mediterranean have embraced the idea and, in their own styles, have created designs celebrating little-known species which, at first glance, may not be particularly attractive but are nonetheless essential to marine life, such as:

• Posidonia: this is the ‘lung’ of the Mediterranean; it forms the seagrass meadows that keep the Mediterranean alive, productive and well-oxygenated.

• Grouper: its return to marine protected areas is an indicator of the good health of the entire ecosystem.

• Giant pearl oyster: a giant, endemic filter-feeder, it purifies the water, and its massive decline highlights the Mediterranean’s vulnerability to global warming.

• Mediterranean cuttlefish: they are essential to the Mediterranean food chain.

• Purple gorgonian: it serves as an indicator of reef health and provides a habitat for a multitude of species dependent on its colonies.

• Loggerhead turtle: known as the ‘bee of the seas’, this threatened migratory species connects different ecosystems (beach, coastal zone, open sea), transports nutrients and facilitates biological interactions.

Each of the tattoo artists taking part in the project is featured on an interactive map accessible via Google Maps. This feature helps to raise the profile of the artists and enables users to find the one nearest to them.

As part of a competition, these tattoo artists have committed to offering one of their flash designs to raise awareness of the need to protect the Mediterranean and make this cause indelible. The campaign will also be promoted by content creators recognised for their editorial stance in favour of environmental protection, or their connection to the Mediterranean region.

The entire initiative relies on the commitment of all stakeholders to this important cause: the protection of the Mediterranean. The agency, tattoo artists and influencers have all worked pro bono. The campaign involves no paid advertising and relies heavily on the tattoo artist community to spread a message of awareness on a large scale. The map and competitions are being launched ahead of the summer season, which is ideal for getaways around the basin and for getting tattoos with groups of friends.

“We are delighted to be collaborating with such talented tattoo artists from across the Mediterranean, who have enthusiastically embraced this creative initiative. By showcasing, through art, the beauty of little-known marine species, we hope to encourage the public to discover the extraordinary biodiversity preserved by the Mediterranean’s Marine Protected Areas, ” said Emilie Grimaud, communications manager at MedPAN.

BETC and MedPAN demonstrate that an aesthetic approach and meaningful personal commitment go hand in hand, and are bringing the cause of marine biodiversity conservation to the attention of younger generations.