The Cairns Hatchlings, presented by Yahoo may be grounded in Australia, but the competition’s impact is global, with three international finalist teams from India and Thailand already making waves for their powerful, purposeful ideas.
Responding to a shared mission from Citizens of the Reef, all Hatchlings entrants were challenged to craft bold, original ideas that drive awareness and participation in the Great Reef Census—a global citizen science initiative aimed at protecting the world’s coral reefs. Whether it was through audio storytelling, public relations activations, or urban design takeovers, each brief pushed teams to reimagine how everyday people can become powerful conservation allies.
This year’s inaugural cohort of Hatchlings represents the next wave of creative leaders across the Asia Pacific—rising stars who didn’t just meet the brief but redefined how creativity can serve a cause. Armed with sharp cultural insight and a zero-budget constraint, these finalists responded with ideas that were emotionally resonant, visually striking, and purpose-led.
Here’s a closer look at some of the APAC young guns making their mark in the PR and Design categories.
In the PR category: Rauf Shaik & Komal Nathani, VML (India)
The Indian duo from VML brought the Great Reef Census to life through a chilling (literally) activation. In partnership with Coca-Cola, they conceptualised a heat-sensitive limited-edition can, coated in red coral reef designs that fade as the can warms, simulating the bleaching process reefs undergo during thermal stress. 
“One loses its refreshing taste, the other its life,” reads the line that anchors their concept—a visceral, visual metaphor for climate inaction.
Consumers would be invited to scan the can to join the Reef Census and help protect the Great Barrier Reef.
It’s an entry that blurs the line between education and innovation, delivering a powerful emotional punch with broad-scale brand potential and it wowed our judges, securing Shaik and Nathani a ticket to Cairns.
In the design category: Veerisa Boonrod & Atipa Rungrojboon (Thailand)
This Thai team transformed urban spaces into unexpected canvases for reef conservation messaging. Their creative suite includes billboards, metro signage, public posters and motion reels, designed to mimic the ecosystem of the reef using high-impact, modern visuals that grab attention in everyday spaces.
Their concept for the Great Reef Census uses design as a disruption—embedding reef imagery in unlikely places to remind city dwellers of the fragile ecosystems far from view but deeply affected by human behaviour.
It’s bold, clean, and undeniably modern—a compelling showcase of how graphic design can drive environmental awareness without needing to say a word.
These are just a few of the epic ideas that sparked from across Asia Pacific. Check out the full list of finalists here!
With just under two weeks to go before the live 24-hour creative challenge in Cairns, these APAC finalists are preparing to go head-to-head with teams from across Australia. The stakes? Exposure, mentorship, and the chance to be named a category winner at the Hatchlings Awards Night on May 15.
In a festival that celebrates bold thinking and fresh talent, these international entries prove one thing: creativity knows no borders.
