Situation:

Unfounded rumors and misguided beliefs, including baseless medical treatments and superstitions, have driven elephants, rhinos and pangolins to the brink of extinction, especially in Vietnam.

While wildlife preservation is not a new topic, demands for wildlife products such as horns, ivories and scales have never been higher. Still, this on-going urgent problem was not receiving enough attention whether it is media coverage or just personal awareness.

Brief:

With the on-going mission of protecting these iconic wildlife animals, WildAid and Change Vietnam wanted to urge Vietnamese people to stop buying wildlife products especially those from rhinos, elephants and pangolins.

Objectives:

To trigger a mass conversation across Vietnam about the plights of elephants, rhinos and pangolins due to illegal trade and poaching and urge them to take action against this matter.

During Lunar New Year, when many Vietnamese people were visiting pagodas to pray in front of Buddha gods for a peaceful and healthy year ahead, we gave these suffering animals a chance to do the same.

In the pose of kneeling, we created statues of these heavily wounded animals and let them pray among pagoda visitors across the country during the Lunar New Year. The installation immediately shocked the entire nation into a mass conversation that urged everyone to answer these animals’ prayers, by rethinking all the unfounded rumors that have been endangering them.

1. Insight: some misguided beliefs of using wildlife products:

- Superstition – Medicinal belief (based on rumors/ experience/ tradition): Ex: Rhino horn to treat cancer, libido… pangolin scales to treat lactation, ivory to scare ghosts away…

- They help show power and wealth, to impress others. Ex: Business/ government people give away rhino horn/ elephant tusks as gifts, they eat pangolin cause it’s wild & rare animal (expensive) during their business meals

- Some think these wildlife products are legal to use and they do not harm the environment.

2. Key message: "Be Their Bodhisattva" to save rhinos, elephants and pangolins, by simply stopping buying wildlife products.

3. Target Audience:

Superstitious people who believe that wildlife products being miracle cures

This target segment also believes in karma and of course god Buddha.

And general public.

Implementation:

The animal statues were hand crafted by the renowned artist Phan Vu Linh to highlight the sufferings of these animals down to every detail, from the gore of each wound to the pains in their eyes. All were expressed faithfully.

Media Channels:

While the pagodas and Buddha god statues were the ambient settings, our placement and timing made sure that the praying animal statues had the opportunity to go viral, by exposing them to multiple influencers and media outlets who later contributed to turning this into a must-check-out phenomenon.

Timeline:

Though the main focus was Lunar new year period, the campaign continued to make impact over the next 45 days.

Scale:

Nationwide

Action:

The pagoda goers were so touched by the statues that it didn't take long before the campaign spread like wildfire across social media and the news. It wasn't long before media outlets started to discuss the campaign on prime time and front page, followed by multiple engagements from influencers.

Outcomes/awareness:

The campaign created a strong wave of public opinion among religious population and general public alike. More than 95 local and international online PR and news pages have covered the campaign. All 5 flagship TV channels also reported the installation. More importantly, influential religious leaders also wholeheartedly supported the movement, livestreaming preaches about this matter. Even the head monk of Drukpa lineage made a visit from Tibet to lend his voice to the animals. The campaign reached 30 millions people within a week and was trending on Google News, resulting over 368 million impressions in total.