The Campaign

‘Behind the Leather’ aims to make the truth of cruelty so big that it overshadows preference for luxurious beauty. We brought animal cruelty to life in a place most familiar to those craving for beauty in exotic leather, a high-end boutique that sells seemingly authentic luxury fashion items. The key was to connect the beauty of luxury to the animal cruelty involved by making them exist in the same place.

Creative Execution

We set up a boutique store in the heart of Bangkok’s fashion district displaying an exquisite collection of fashion products seemingly made from exotic animal skin. On the outside they appeared identical to brand name fashion items, from bags to boots and jackets to other accessories. However, the interior was fitted with mechanics that mimic the internal organs of animals such as beating heart and flowing blood. Hidden cameras captured the shocking reactions of visitors who afterwards were facilitated by PETA’s staff, brochure and video to learn about animal cruelty behind the production process. The shop was taken online to amplify the campaign’s reach. Browsing into what appeared to be ordinary product posts, shoppers learnt about the horrific process behind each item.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

“Behind the Leather” created massive impact. 87% shoppers reported to have changed their minds about buying exotic skin products. Within just 12 days, the campaign generated over 42 million views globally. Participations across social network amounted to 800,000 interactions. Worldwide media coverage helped spread the word, and generated USD 22 million worth of earned media. All this with zero media cost.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

‘Behind the Leather’ shows how clever consumer interaction can be utilized to amplify the brand message. In getting the general public to understand and buy into PETA’s belief that exotic animals are not theirs to wear, we created a twist in interaction that would best communicate the brand purpose. Captured shocking reactions were then used to multiply the message’s impact through social viral.

The target audience is exotic skin shoppers, those who know little about the horrors that exotic animals endure and have fallen prey to luxury marketing that masks the ugly truth behind the leather. Heavily blinded by beauty, informing facts about animal cruelty is not enough to establish understanding and create positive change. The “shock” tactic was chosen because it is unforgettable, compelling and humanizing. The human mind is designed to crave the unexpected and it is the unexpected that changes behavior. This out of the norm approach cuts through the messaging clutter, generating an amount of viral and public relations that will create impact on the exotic skin trade.