Twisted Hyper-Real Illustrations for Pro Wildlife Put Animals in Dead-End Jobs

Wild animals take the jobs that humans don’t want in a twisted new print campaign by agency AvL/SE for nature conservation organisation, Pro Wildlife. The thought-provoking adverts encourage holidaymakers to be aware of the dangers of unwittingly participating in animal cruelty. 

The striking print ads, illustrated by Cannes Lions-winning artist Ricardo Salamanca and his team at Salamagica, depict exotic animals in downtrodden job roles; an elephant delivers pizzas in a dreary polluted city and a tiger sweeps the grimy floors of a seedy peep show entrance. However, the images come with a sad twist, the copy reveals this isn’t the worst these animals have experienced: ‘Any job is better than being a tourist attraction. Stop lifetime imprisonment.’

Pro Wildlife commissioned AvL/SE to develop the campaign ahead of holiday season to remind tourists that popular animal attractions, such as elephant riding and taking selfies with tigers, amount to animal cruelty. It is a particularly endemic problem in Asia, Latin America, and Africa, where animals are routinely abused in this way. AvL/SE developed the arresting campaign around the idea that ‘animals would do anything to change their job’.

Adeline Fischer, Campaign Manager at Pro Wildlife, comments: “Hundreds of thousands of animals worldwide are suffering today in small cages and chains in the name of tourism. Riding on an elephant, taking a selfie with a chimp or stroking a tiger is for many holidaymakers an absolute highlight of their trip. Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases, the animals are kept in miserable conditions and violently drilled, controlled or sedated. All this is why our organisation simply advises tourists to do their research before their trip. Genuine animal sanctuaries do not allow tourists to have direct contact with the animals, do not breed animals and they reintroduce the animals to the wild. Anyone who wants to be on the safe side should simply observe the animals in their natural habitat. That is where they are at their most beautiful.”

André Aimaq, CCO and Co-Founder of AvL/SE, comments: “Our relationship with Pro Wildlife goes back to 2006. This time, they tasked us with stopping people in their tracks and encouraging vacationers to question animal attractions and ultimately refrain from taking part. To make an immediate impact, we created a visual world that simultaneously captivates and disturbs viewers. We enlisted Ricardo and his team for their hyper-realistic and dreamlike style - combining CGI, photography, and illustration. Their innovative and distinctive aesthetics made them the right fit for this project.”

The print campaign launches on Friday 4th May 2018 in print, OOH, and online on the Pro Wildlife website and Facebook page.