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The Effectiveness of the WWF Advertisement in Achieving its Marketing Purpose

Amelie Zhao

Sheridan College

ENGL 17889 Composition and Rhetoric

Tara Al-Hadithy

September 29th, 2019

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The Effectiveness of the WWF Advertisement in Achieving its Marketing Purpose

In this day and age people of the modern world are inundated by an overabundance of
commercials and advertisements, some of which are more successful in delivering their intended
marketing message, while others less so. The ad image made by the World Wide Fund depicts
two leopards on a grassy field, a cub following an adult, both animals labeled with “S” and “XL”
respectively as if they were pieces of clothing. On the top right corner of the advertisement the
line “Fashion claims more victims than you think” is written. The purpose of this ad is for the
viewer to think about the cost of animal lives behind the products in the fashion industry. WWF
made this advertisement successful by using the credibility behind its name and drove home the
message with strong composition that leaves much up to interpretation, along with targeting the
viewer’s emotions with imagery that evokes sympathy.
The WWF was founded in 1961 with the goal of preserving wildlife and reducing
harmful human impacts on the environment. It is currently the world’s largest conservation
organization, boasting millions of supporters in over 100 countries and six continents. There is
no doubt that the World Wide Fund is an established, reputable source of information regarding
animal welfare. The WWF logo can be seen on the top right corner of the ad, a clear and not
overly intrusive way to let the audience know this ad is approved and backed by a credible
source. It does much to bolster the ad and its message. Some may say that the WWF is not
entirely trustworthy because of its past scandals and alleged corporate ties, however this
advertisement is not biased towards any specific company or group of people. It targets the entire
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fashion industry indiscriminately and allows the viewer to come up with their own conclusions to
the message without manipulation.
The WWF advertisement is constructed in such a way that the viewer first only sees the
two leopards, then notices the clothing size labels, and lastly the line of text and logo at the top
right corner. Instead of presenting the text front and center, the ad masterfully allows the imagery
to speak for itself. This way, the audience is able to come to understand the message in a natural
and engaging process. The colors in the image are drab, dull, and tinges everything a muddy
yellow-green, which transforms the beauty of the landscape and animals into something
unnatural and somber. While some might criticize the ad for not being straightforward enough,
that the imagery is too obscure and confusing, the line of text and WWF logo gives more than
adequate context to the way the leopards are depicted. The target audience of the advertisement
are mostly consumers of high end fashion that use animal parts for their products. Placing size
labels on the leopards is a clear way of showcasing how there are real animals behind every fur
coat, and that they are the victims of fashion.
The use of the image of a leopard cub following an adult, presumably its parent, heavily
appeals to the viewer’s sympathetic side. The two animals are shown walking in a subdued,
docile manner, just as how they are utterly unable to fight against those who claim their lives,
despite the fact that leopards are natural predators. An adult animal in distress is already
emotionally upsetting for most people, the inclusion of the baby leopard makes it even more
piteous and saddening. The ad forces the viewer to realize that the fashion products they may
purchase is funding the killing of countless lives, that even the young would not be spared. The
imagery, of course, is contrived; it uses carefully crafted elements to drive across its message.
Though it is arguing for the preservation of nature, the ad is anything but natural itself.
Nonetheless, the artificiality helps support the argument as it proves how these wild animals are
being taken and manufactured into something against their nature. It is successful in making the
audience think about the harm certain actions have on the wildlife by presenting them with the
faces of the victims.
The World Wide Fund ad is made with the intent of having consumers of high fashion
consider the animal lives behind every product. It conveys the message superbly through the
combined components that appeal to the viewers’ logical as well as emotional side. The
advertisement utilizes the credibility behind the WWF name, an interesting and
thought-provoking composition that allows much interpretation, as well as leveraging sympathy
with the depiction of the leopard cub. This ad is successful in achieving its purpose through
expert use of various strategies.