The brief was to raise awareness toward the Earth’s environmental issues and to promote donations to WWF JAPAN, with low budget. And the target was all Japanese, whose donations per head toward environmental protection is extremely low compared to advanced countries (donations per household are 1/108 of western countries). WWF JAPAN was looking for a new solution that would raise awareness toward environmental issues and provide easier ways to make donations.

The concept was, “If wild animals could ask for help, they may upload selfies like these.” Against environmentally un-photogenic backgrounds, photos of animals from all over the world were uploaded on Instagram under the project name #ANIMAL_SELFIE. Although the “Selfies” were not shot by the animals, they were a message that the environmental issues are very real.

Posters were used at Cafe space Little Tokyo.　All 32 animal photos used for #ANIMAL_SELFIE were rental photos, with cooperation from Getty Images. Photos with the right angle, lens, etc. that make them look like selfies were selected and digitally retouched. With high standards of craft, animal selfies were made with environmentally un-photogenic backgrounds. The fake selfies were able to make a powerful message, that the environmental issues of the habitat of wild animals, are very real.

The campaign spread across various media with 37 million impressions in 3 weeks, reaching 30 million. Donations were 142% of the previous year.

Posters were used at customs controlling illegal imports of wild animals, anime voice-over artists voluntarily uploaded their voices. A pet insurance company showed support, many schools used the visuals as teaching material, and the campaign even received Greenpeace approval, extending the value far beyond numbers.

As a result, the selfie, a symbol of self-expression, also became a symbol for donations, lead to perception and behavior changes among the Japanese, and grew into a long-standing service.