In my recent exploration of the complex interplay between climate advocacy, animal welfare, and advertising, I’ve reached a decision to narrow my focus while delving deeper into related and interconnected themes. Thus far, my research has centered around the emotional aspects of advertising, examining provocative techniques, permissible boundaries, and key organizations associated with the subject. Going forward, my aim is to broaden the scope by scrutinizing existing organizations and initiatives, identifying commonalities, and assessing the fulfillment of traditional marketing functions.
Given the vastness of the topic and its personal resonance, maintaining objectivity while avoiding excessive digressions in my posts has proven challenging. The primary focus will revolve around analyzing how messages are communicated visually and how its worded, scrutinizing campaigns, and conducting practical tests. The initial phase involved extensive information gathering, immersing myself in related topics to assess their relevance.
One pivotal question is whether to concentrate within the realm of animal welfare. Industrial animal exploitation in meat and resource production, where animals are systematically exploited and kept under deplorable conditions, exists alongside cases of pet abuse resulting from misinformation or impulsive pet purchases. Exploring the portrayal of animals in advertising and their presence on social media, particularly the indirect promotion or inadvertent endorsement of animal mistreatment by influencers, adds another layer to the discourse.
But for some insights on the topic so far:
There is a lot of misinformation in the industrie as the one survey showed, that people believe in certain wordings and certificates event if in reality it doesn´t mean anything. On the one hand you have such strict rules for food but the companies always find ways to market their products so that the consumer can buy it guiltfree. The Topic is in need of information – it is important to bring the right information to the consumer in the right way. If the reality and cruel images or videos are the right way, or a beautiful scenery of forest we can protect is a question that I couldn´t really answer in this research so far. I saw that there are quite a lot of rules for advertisment especially for kids and about graphic content but there is no real rule for how to communicate animal abuse etc. Emotions are a big part in advertisement – in every aspect as it draws the attention and leaves a greater impact – but you do not want to evoke to bad feelings as people might distance themselves afterwords as it is too much to handle.
Social Media has a great impact on peoples opinion and there it can easily be shown what is the reality. You also have rules but its easier to publish something and people can see than in traditional print adverts. It´s more personal with also gets peoples attention more.
Additionally, I plan to conduct a survey in the next phase, addressing questions that remained unanswered during the initial research. Utilizing images and existing advertisements, I aim to craft practical examples and gain a more nuanced understanding of the subject. While existing opinions and facts have provided some insights, a comprehensive online survey is expected to offer a broader perspective on questions that lack definitive answers. These include gauging emotional responses to specific advertisements and street interactions and exploring the appropriateness of displaying images of abused animals without warning, or whether such visuals may deter people.
Here are sample questions for the survey:
- What types of animal welfare advertisements do you recall or have lingering in your mind?
- Have you ever been approached on the street regarding animal welfare?
- How do images of mistreated animals affect you – do they alter your perspective?
- What emotions do you experience?
- What would you prefer in the communication strategies of animal welfare organizations?
- Do you trust these organizations? What is needed to build trust, such as seals of approval, etc.?
The topic is still very important to me personally and because of that I think it is even more important to look into and maybe find ways to improve the communication about animal rights and how we can ensure a better life on this planet for the future. People need to be informed to take part, they need to have the trust that there are people fighting for the cause and that they can also be a part of it. I am really looking forward to unfold more graphic and visual components of this journey and use my own creativity to create an impact.
