The campaign used a press release as a key action to spread the message. We used media outlets, media news and influencers to persuade people to sign the pledge an pressure authorities to shut down illegal conversion clinics.

We managed to take audience on a journey where we turned the greatest conservation icon into an LGBTIQ icon. All of these, to reduce the perception of the naturalness of homosexuality.

Ecuador has approximately 300 illegal conversion therapy clinics, one of the highest per capita in the world. In this clinics homosexuality is treated like a disease.

Many people have been kidnapped to be admitted and once inside they have suffered mistreatment and even torture.

This happens because 37% of Ecuadorians believe that homosexuality is not natural.

Dialogo Diverso, the largest LGBTQ rights NGO in the country thought it was time to do something about it.

Situation:

Our community faces intolerance and outdated beliefs ("homosexuality is unnatural") that fuel discrimination and force many to live in fear, even facing forced "de-homosexualizatoin" practices. We lack strong, relatable role models to counter these narratives and advance LGBTIQ+ rights.

Brief:

Institutional / Awareness Campaign (March-April-May 2024)

Diálogo Diverso, an Ecuadorian LGBTIQ+ advocacy and rights NGO, is on a mission to challenge discrimination and champion equality. We need to develop an originaland powerful own idea to put pressure on authorities to shut down conversion clinics in the country.

Objectives:

· Put pressure on authorities so that at least 1 illegal clinic can be shut down.

· Educate the population and reduce by 10% de perception of "homosexuality not being natural”.

For the first time in history, we use nature's lessons to fight discrimination.

We transformed Lonesome George from conservation icon, to LGBTIQ+ icon.

And with his story prove that homosexuality is a natural behavior among ALL species.

Because if it's natural in animals, is natural in humans.

With this unique and fresh view, we knew that the more people knew Lonesomes George's story, the more it could change people's perception.

We want to attack the problem of conversion clinics on 2 fronts:

1. Education - To reduce perception about homosexuality not considered natural

2. Pressure - for people to ask the authorities to close the illegal conversion clinics

Insight:

Create a disruptive and innovative PR oriented narrative which transformed Lonesome George from conservation icon, to LGBTIQ+ icon.

Key message:

If it's natural in animals, it's natural in humans.

Target audience:

Ecuadorians Male / Female 18 - 50 years old

Creation and distribution of assets:

· Creation of a speech and a storytelling for Dialogo Diverso's spokesperson

· Staging assets (press kits)

· Media outlet invitation

· Press conference

· Documentary released in press conference

· Media interviews

Implementation:

· Creation of a documentary with the scientific support to prove Lonesome George's probable homosexuality

· Visual Identity of the campaign

· Website aired (sorrygeorge.org)

· Merch for sale at website

· Press conference

· Press releases

· Interviews to Dialogo Diversos spokesperson

· Media kits sent to local celebrities and influencers who quickly got on board

· Informative brochures distributed in zoos

· All of these directed people to our website where they could sign the pledge

Timeline:

From January 2024 to April 2024

Scale:

Local - Global (225 zoos around the world signed the pledge)

Media Outputs:

· More than 50 local media covered press conference - the story

· 1.7M media impressions

Target Audience Outcomes:

· Positive perception of sexual diversity as natural grew by 22%, an increase of 15 percentage points. (Gallup - Zen Research)

· Positive sentiment toward Diálogo Diverso grew by 35%

· 25.740 people signed the pledge

Business Outcomes:

· The first illegal conversion therapy clinic was shut down, 10 more are in the same process.