Twisted Hyper-Real Illustrations for Pro Wildlife Put Animals in Dead-End Jobs

Cristina Blanaru Ads, Creativity, CSR

Wild animals take the jobs that humans don’t want in a twisted new print campaign by agency AvL/Saint Elmo’s for nature conservation organisation, Pro Wildlife. The thought-provoking adverts encourage holidaymakers to be aware of the dangers of unwittingly participating in animal cruelty.

The striking print ads illustrated by Cannes Lions-winning artist Ricardo Salamanca and his team at Salamagica depict exotic animals in downtrodden job roles; an elephant delivers pizzas in a dreary polluted city and a tiger sweeps the grimy floors of a seedy peep show entrance. However, the images come with a sad twist, this isn’t the worst these animals have experienced: ‘Any job is better than being a tourist attraction. Stop lifetime imprisonment.’

Pro Wildlife commissioned AvL/Saint Elmo’s to develop the campaign ahead of holiday season to remind tourists that popular animal attractions, such as elephant riding and taking selfies with tigers, amount to animal cruelty. It is a particularly endemic problem in Asia, Latin America, and Africa, where animals are routinely abused in this way. AvL/Saint Elmo’s developed the arresting campaign around the idea that ‘animals would do anything to change their job’.

Adeline Fischer, Campaign Manager at Pro Wildlife, comments: “Hundreds of thousands of animals worldwide are suffering today in small cages and chains in the name of tourism. Riding on an elephant, taking a selfie with a chimp or stroking a tiger is for many holidaymakers an absolute highlight of their trip. Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases, the animals are kept in miserable conditions and violently drilled, controlled or sedated. All this is why our organisation simply advises tourists to do their research before their trip. Genuine animal sanctuaries do not allow tourists to have direct contact with the animals, do not breed animals and they reintroduce the animals to the wild. Anyone who wants to be on the safe side should simply observe the animals in their natural habitat. That is where they are at their most beautiful.”

André Aimaq, CCO and Co-Founder of AvL/Saint Elmo’s, comments: “Our relationship with Pro Wildlife goes back to 2006. This time, they tasked us with stopping people in their tracks and encouraging vacationers to question animal attractions and ultimately refrain from taking part. To make an immediate impact, we created a visual world that simultaneously captivates and disturbs viewers. We enlisted Ricardo and his team for their hyper-realistic and dreamlike style – combining CGI, photography, and illustration. Their innovative and distinctive aesthetics made them the right fit for this project.”

The print campaign launches on Friday 4th May 2018 in print, OOH, and online on the Pro Wildlife website and Facebook page.

Credits

Client: Pro Wildlife

  • Agency: AvL/Saint Elmo’s
  • Creatives: André Aimaq, Jan Lucas, Andras Manthey, Julian Friedrichs
  • Account Team: Monique Garbe, Yvonne Abbenhaus,
  • Art Buying: Geraldine Schröder
  • Creative Studio: Salamagica
  • Illustrator: Ricardo Salamanca

AvL/SaintElmo’s is a Berlin-based agency that enhances brands with relevant stories. It believes in the power of good stories to cut through the white noise to reach the target audience. Good stories – whether digital or analogue – move people to want to be a part of the story themselves. Good stories capture hearts and minds and produce cultural relevance. Good stories increase brand value. With this approach, AvL/SE has built up a strong client base, including brands such as Hyundai, Asics, Nutella, Audi, Jules Mumm, Berentzen, and Roche.

AvL/Saint Elmo’s is part of the Saint Elmo’s Group, which is itself a part of Serviceplan – Europe’s largest owner-managed agency – with currently around 3,600 employees, across 35 locations worldwide.

Pro Wildlife is an international non-profit animal and non-profit organization founded in 1999. Nature conservation organization based in Munich. The aim of the association is to enforce better conservation laws and measures for wildlife, whose existence is threatened by poaching, hunting, animal trade and habitat destruction.