The WWF Bluefin Tuna Campaign

Unlike other environmental issues that concern the endangerment of a particular species, overfishing has not received as much media attention. Many advertising campaigns are created to attracted awareness to Rhino poaching per say; however, for overfishing, only one campaign has resonated in the media.

The WWF Bluefin Tuna overfishing campaign was created by Ogilvy Paris, with the creative team consisting of Chris Garbutt (creative director), Arnaud Vanhelle (copywriter), Benot Raynert (art director) and Thomas Mangold (photographer). The print advertisement displayed the face of a panda on the body of a Bluefin Tuna and made use of the copy “Would you care more if I was a panda?” Two adaptations were created using the faces of a rhino and a gorilla which including the same copy, adapted appropriately. Below are the three different print ads. (Design Scene, 2011)

The inspiration behind the campaign stems from the fact that we, as a society, have not given the critical issue of overfishing the attention and concern it deserves. The question “Would you care more if I was a rhino, panda or gorilla?” is used not to detract attention from other environmental issues that the WWF supports, but to emphasise societies preferred interest of more publicised conservation issues as apposed to that of overfishing.

The “sarcastic and bitter” (Russo, 2011) tone of the campaign and the question “Would you care more if I was a panda, rhino or gorilla?” are strategically used an emotional method to raise awareness to the issue at hand. The campaign leaves viewers feeling guilty or ashamed that they have not paid a sufficient amount of attention to the problem of overfishing, and in this case, the overfishing of Bluefin Tuna. With this in mind, it can be said that the campaign has succeed in its objective of raising public awareness to the plight of Bluefin Tuna. The campaign has also featured on many advertising websites and blogs, such as ads of the world, which further demonstrates the success of the campaign.

References:

1. Design Scene. (2011). WWF Bluefin Tuna Overfishing. Available: http://www.designscene.net/2011/03/wwf-bluefin-tuna-overfishing.html. Last accessed 14 April 2011.

2. Russo, M. (2011). WWF Bluefin Tuna overfishing. Available:http://the.closet.it/inspiration/2011/wwf-bluefin-tuna-overfishing.html. Last accessed 14 April 2011.

Images:

Design Scene. (2011). WWF Bluefin Tuna Overfishing:Rhino [Online Image]. Available: http://www.designscene.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/WWF-Bluefin-Tuna-Overfishing-DESIGNSCENE-net-01.jpg. Last accessed 14 April 2011

Design Scene. (2011). WWF Bluefin Tuna Overfishing:Panda [Online Image]. Available: http://www.designscene.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/WWF-Bluefin-Tuna-Overfishing-DESIGNSCENE-net-02.jpg. Last accessed 14 April 2011

Design Scene. (2011). WWF Bluefin Tuna Overfishing:Gorilla [Online Image]. Available: http://www.designscene.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/WWF-Bluefin-Tuna-Overfishing-DESIGNSCENE-net-03.jpg. Last accessed 14 April 2011