Ken jy die see?
Prize(s):
WINNER 2026 Multimedia Design / Other Multimedia Designs | Honorable Mention 2026 Multimedia Design / Social Media Campaign
School / University Name:Vega School At Emeris
Lead Designer(s) Name(s):Abia Bosman; Daniel Krige; Danica Viljoen; Zane Witte
Professor Name(s):Wilmarie Staub, Mandy Speechly, Danielle Steyn
Project Location:Cape Town, South Africa
Design Status:Concept
Video URL:View
Project Description:
Sea pollution remains a significant environmental challenge along South Africa’s coastline, yet many sustainability campaigns struggle to inspire real behavioural change due to repetitive and impersonal messaging. This integrated communication campaign repositions environmental communication by speaking directly to Afrikaans-speaking coastal communities in their own language. The initiative is developed by Sealand Gear, a local South African outdoor gear brand that is built on principles of sustainability and wellness of the ocean. Small coastal towns are encouraged to participate in competitive beach clean-ups, creating a sense of community pride while restoring local marine environments.
Sea pollution remains a significant environmental challenge along South Africa’s coastline, yet many sustainability campaigns struggle to inspire real behavioural change due to repetitive and impersonal messaging. This integrated communication campaign repositions environmental communication by speaking directly to Afrikaans-speaking coastal communities in their own language. The initiative is developed by Sealand Gear, a local South African outdoor gear brand that is built on principles of sustainability and wellness of the ocean. Small coastal towns are encouraged to participate in competitive beach clean-ups, creating a sense of community pride while restoring local marine environments.
Project Innovation / Specification:
The campaign introduces a culturally grounded approach to sustainability messaging by using the expressive depth of Afrikaans to reconnect people with the ocean. Inspired by the poem Ken Jy die See? by Uys Krige, a short film narrated by a fisherman invites viewers to reflect on their relationship with the sea. The campaign unfolds across Instagram carousels and reels, customised posters placed in coastal towns, and a microsite that tracks each town’s beach clean-up progress and encourages community participation.
The campaign introduces a culturally grounded approach to sustainability messaging by using the expressive depth of Afrikaans to reconnect people with the ocean. Inspired by the poem Ken Jy die See? by Uys Krige, a short film narrated by a fisherman invites viewers to reflect on their relationship with the sea. The campaign unfolds across Instagram carousels and reels, customised posters placed in coastal towns, and a microsite that tracks each town’s beach clean-up progress and encourages community participation.
Project Sustainability Approach:
The objective of the project is to promote environmental action in a way that is meaningful to the communities most affected. The campaign also creates a cycle of sustainability in the design thinking. The beach clean-ups remove waste directly from the coastline, while collected materials are repurposed into an exclusive line of sustainable products created by Sealand Gear. These limited-edition items are branded with the winning town’s name and transform ocean waste into functional gear. This process illustrates how discarded materials can be reimagined through design while reinforcing responsible environmental involvement.
The objective of the project is to promote environmental action in a way that is meaningful to the communities most affected. The campaign also creates a cycle of sustainability in the design thinking. The beach clean-ups remove waste directly from the coastline, while collected materials are repurposed into an exclusive line of sustainable products created by Sealand Gear. These limited-edition items are branded with the winning town’s name and transform ocean waste into functional gear. This process illustrates how discarded materials can be reimagined through design while reinforcing responsible environmental involvement.
Local and Regional Impacts of the Project:
Locally, the campaign empowers Afrikaans-speaking coastal communities by addressing environmental issues through language, culture and shared identity. The competitive element encourages participation and local pride, which ultimately leads to cleaner beaches. Regionally, the initiative demonstrates how culturally relevant storytelling and community-driven action can reshape sustainability campaigns across South Africa’s coastline, inspiring greater environmental awareness and a sense of collective responsibility in the goal to protect the ocean.
Locally, the campaign empowers Afrikaans-speaking coastal communities by addressing environmental issues through language, culture and shared identity. The competitive element encourages participation and local pride, which ultimately leads to cleaner beaches. Regionally, the initiative demonstrates how culturally relevant storytelling and community-driven action can reshape sustainability campaigns across South Africa’s coastline, inspiring greater environmental awareness and a sense of collective responsibility in the goal to protect the ocean.
