Somewhere out in the world, there is are
species of animals that are slowly dying off. WWF puts this into perspective
with a simple advertisement.
Pollution.
Global warming. Animal Extinction. These are the biggest threats to the natural
environments of the world and their inhabitants in the twenty-first century.
While there are numerous environmental groups throughout the globe, World Wide
Fund for Nature (WWF for short) stands out from the rest with its five million
supporters from more than a hundred countries and its clever ads. One of these
ads is a very simple black and white ad lacking any kind of complex pictures or
symbols. Actually, it is the simplicity that makes the ad so defining. The only
picture the environmental group uses is the well known Metro Goldwyn Mayer
logo, but as soon as one views it, he can tell something is amiss; the famous
lion that proudly roars before the movie begins is nowhere to be found. A small
message can be found in the upper right corner of the ad that reads
"Wildlife is disappearing." Utilizing a popular reference and
exaggeration, WWF effectively warns the viewers about wildlife extinctions with
its unembellished advertisement.
Using
a well known logo was a smart move on WWF. Metro Goldwyn Mayer produced
numerous films, so it is most likely that the person viewing the ad is familiar
with the usual triumphant roar of the MGM lion before the screen fades to black
and the movie starts. However, without the lion, the entire media company seems
to give off less majestic feeling. When I saw WWF's version of the MGM, I
realized for the first time how significant the big cat was to the company;
without it, the logo looked so empty, sad, and weird, considering that
something that I took for granted was simply gone. I am sure that this is the
kind of the feeling that many other members of the audience feel when they see the advertisement for the first
time. By using the famous logo, WWF not only managed to connect me to the
environment group, but also to connect me with other people who saw MGM movies
as well.
But
the whole message of WWF seems to be exaggerated. How can environmental
problems actually get rid of the renowned beast from the beloved movie
producing company? The answer is, they can't. Unless MGM decides to change its
logo, the feline is going to continue being the mascot even if the entire lion
species goes extinct. However, this exaggerated idea allows people to consider
a more realistic idea: what if the lion species does go extinct? It's quite
possible, considering that lions are already endangered. When I saw the WWF logo,
I first thought, 'Okay...it's not like I actually go to see wildlife animal
other than on screens,' but then it occurred to me that in the future, lions
and many other animals might not be seen anywhere other than on screens. That's
a scary thought. By utilizing an exaggerated message, WWF creates a powerful
essence of fear for the audience members to make them recognize that animal
extinctions are real and daunting.
With
the use of a popular reference and exaggeration, WWF convinces its audience
that animal extinction is a serious threat that often goes unheeded. WWF first
cleverly connects all the audience members who know about Metro Goldwyn Mayer
and then plants fear into them to warn about what would happen if the problem
is not addressed properly. The message lingered in my mind for a long time, and
I'm sure this ad will have the same effect for many other people as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment