The Campaign

Affluence and luxury drive demand for illegal wildlife products and created a global poaching crisis. Tapping into these very values that drive the illegal trade, Ivory Lane was positioned as a luxury fashion brand. The brand’s modern range of accessories became a thin veil that hid the ugly truths behind the creation of each product. while most people in Singapore cared about wildlife, less were aware of the issues surrounding the ivory trade. Ivory Lane tapped into one thing that most people in Singapore cared and talked about - shopping. By using a fashion brand as a vehicle to question the legality of ivory, Ivory Lane shed light on an issue that had always been right under our noses since the first international ban on ivory started, 28 years ago.

Execution

Ivory Lane's brand presence and visuals were carefully crafted to highlight the true cost of the ivory trade while selling the concept of luxury. Savannahs and African elephants were marketed together with editorial campaign images. To give the brand visibility and credibility, WWF worked with fashion media partners and social media influencers to spark public discussions around Ivory Lane. Following negative public reactions, Ivory Lane further stirred debate with a public statement by its fictitious founder defending the legality of Ivory Lane, adopting the same arguments as real ivory traders. Within 24 hours, the statement led to an uproar reported by local and regional media. Overnight, Ivory Lane became a mainstream conversation, creating debates about the legal issues surrounding local laws. Within a week, WWF-Singapore revealed its involvement behind the campaign. This hit global news headlines, turning attention from a fashion brand into a worldwide conversation: global ivory trade.

Within ten days, Ivory Lane’s social media platforms saw a reach of more than 5,000,000 and 150,000 engaged users. The Ivory Lane campaign was picked up by more than 70 media outlets globally, including BBC, AFP and New York Times. The stories that ran in the media highlighted the legality of ivory as an issue and started a vociferous public debate that addressed an urgent need to strengthen local laws. Importantly, it also triggered independent media investigations into the sale of ivory in Singapore. The government authorities and WWF were contacted by members of the public to shut down the online Ivory shop. Overnight, Singapore’s wildlife laws became a global conversation. The campaign sparked a public debate on wildlife laws and shone the light on the issues that were once overlooked and ignored. Public called for tougher laws, stronger enforcement and a domestic ban.

The Situation

Legislative action is key to stopping illegal wildlife trade in Singapore, but people needed to demand for change. Despite numerous global campaigns on illegal wildlife trade, there was limited understanding of the issue. Ivory Lane redefined how news is made. By being a platform to unite voices towards a real crisis, it defied the notion that news can only come from one source. The launch was calibrated to create controversy. Tapping into the media, influencers and online comments, it manufactured the news-making process. By creating public debates, Ivory Lane ultimately made the voices of people, the news itself.

The Strategy

Most people in Singapore care about protecting wildlife but were not necessarily aware of the shortcomings in local laws that allowed the illicit ivory trade to continue. WWF's survey found that 50% of people in Singapore already think ivory has been banned in Singapore. In addition, only 8% of people are familiar with local laws on ivory. To address this perception gap, WWF needs people to take notice. Working on the same legal premises as real ivory shops in Singapore, WWF created a completely legal ivory brand and online shop selling vintage ivory, Ivory Lane. The brand targeted audiences that were active and vocal on social media and, like most Singaporeans, shared a love for online shopping. Backed by an ambitious social media presence, attractive campaign images and a convincing brand story, Ivory Lane became a made-in-Singapore brand, the latest luxury accessory line to hit the world of fashion.