Results and Effectiveness

The campaign launched on 7 September 2013. Six days later on 13 September, the China State Forestry Administration met with WWF-TRAFFIC in Beijing and said the "8 Minute Animals" captured their attention. The authorities expressed their commitment, and said they would table stronger actions and countermeasures in their 2014 National Agenda. This campaign met the singular goal set by WWF-TRAFFIC -- i.e. to get increased government support for its conservation efforts in China in 2014.

Creative Execution

We got a contemporary Chinese artist that specializes in drawing calligraphy paintings using water on pavement. He took to the streets of Shanghai and created a series of ephemeral "8-minute animals", painted with water. The water paintings of animals was relevant because they would evaporate in around 8-minutes under the sun. Much like the real animals that are rapidly disappearing around the world. You can see this happening right before your very eyes, thus driving home the sense of loss, and the message effectively, that Time is fast running out. This soon attracted public gatherings on the streets, which made the Chinese government pay close attention. The authorities saw the effect of the vanishing paintings and communicated directly with WWF-TRAFFIC their positive intentions. The campaign was very singular in meeting its objective.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

The UN Environment Program reports every 8 minutes a wildlife species disappears from the world. This rapid rate of extinction is shocking. Illicit demand for wildlife products was also accelerating the extinction rate - especially for tigers, rhinos and elephants. WWF-TRAFFIC wanted to draw attention to these vanishing species in China, a country not know for wildlife conservation. The goal was to target the authorities - i.e. China State Forestry Administration to commit stronger action against the illegal wildlife trade. Doing a public large-scale ambient activity in China would definitely get the government's attention. The insight was to use a common Chinese art form - water calligraphy paintings - to highlight the plight of these vanishing species. Water paintings are commonly practiced outdoors in city streets and parks around China. After a few minutes, these paintings would evaporate and vanish. Beautiful works of art that disappear, never to return.