Faux fur company’s faux sale reminds shoppers there’s more to save than money

Cristina Blanaru Ads, Creativity

On the heels of Black Friday, it’s no surprise to see a blowout savings event for a faux fur company pop up on Toronto’s fashionable Queen Street West. The surprise however comes upon closer inspection. Furious Fur’s ‘Wild Savings Event’ drew shoppers to the store where they discovered clever twists on familiar discount slogans, revealing that this sales event wasn’t about saving money, but rather, the millions of animals killed every year in the fur trade.

The campaign, created by Zulu Alpha Kilo, took a playful approach to disarm shoppers and help the message break through. The familiar ‘Save up to 80%’ became ‘Save up to 80 lives’ and ‘Save up to 25%’ became ‘Save up to 25 species’. The numbers used in the slogans weren’t random, but rather, real statistics highlighting the harm the fur trade perpetrates on animals.

This is the first dedicated retail space for the company, which sells the majority of its furs through the Hudson’s Bay Company in Canada and other retail partners around the globe.

“The challenge with buying a faux fur online is that you can’t trust the quality. This campaign was the perfect way to draw people in so they could see for themselves how authentic these furs feel,” said Samantha Madigan, Furious Fur co-founder and principal.

Queen Street West was the perfect location for the fur company to reach its younger, ethically-conscious demographic.

“Nearly ¾ of millennial consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products. So while some may be disappointed there’s no sale, we hope most will applaud the message” said George Ault, Associate Creative Director at Zulu Alpha Kilo.

The activation will run through December’s busy shopping season at 923 Queen Street West and is being supported with collateral in nearby retailers and in social.

Furious Fur is a Toronto-based faux fur brand launched in 2017 by mother-daughter duo Philippa and Samantha Madigan. Their designs are a combination of classic vintage styles with a modern edge. Furious Fur is a proud member of the PETA Business Friends, an innovative partnership comprised of compassionate companies willing to assist in PETA’s ground-breaking work to stop animal abuse and suffering. Donations are made annually to PETA and other animal rights organizations worldwide.

Credits:

Client: Furious Fur

Agency: Zulu Alpha Kilo

  • Creative Director: Zak Mroueh
  • ACD/Art Director: Jacob Gawrysiak
  • ACD/Writer: George Ault
  • Design Director: Ryan Booth
  • Writer: Ian Dunlop
  • Art Director: Dilini Nirasha, Zoe Kim
  • Designer: Gala Tanaskovic
  • Clients: Samantha Madigan, Philippa Madigan
  • Account Team: Violet Karbalaei, Rob Feightner
  • Producer: Colleen Allen, Houng Ngui, Laura Dubcovsky

Production House: Zulubot

  • Editor: Ashlee Mitchell, Mariam Fahmy, Cecilia Bernasch
  • Photographer: Shereen Mroueh
  • DOP: Brandon Cox
  • Studio Artist: Brandon Dyson, Ashleigh O’Brien, Greg Heptinstall