Non-Profit Communication

Deforestation is an interesting topic to study in communication. Those two print campaigns highlight the fact that cutting a tree kills several species living in it. However they treat death and responsibility quite differently.
Simplicity is not the main ingredient to create a campaign with a real impact. It has to be combined, in this case, with public « integration », subtlety and several possible interpretation degrees, but not too much

Greenpeace played on origami art. The use of it with a bird’s skeleton may sense classical due to the fact that there is no real hidden meaning. But this choice is quite smart because of the use of one of the cause of deforestation: paper linked to origami which is an art. So the connection is clever but quite fast to make for the public between the paper, the skeleton and the deforestation. Moreover the public stays passive and it doesn’t really create an emotion. So this print is a good  to expose a fact/an information.

The Contemporary Art Museum and the Botanical Garden, Inhotim, chose a more symbolism path which may create more impact on the public. This campaign is based on a simple system: black and white figures. The interest is based on the symbolism provoked by two elements and common references that we all have; black shadows (animals) with white circles (growth rings) on top means targets. You may say that I am usually fan of simplicity but in communications that’s what’s difficult to reach. The message is easy to get: in cutting trees you also kill all animals living there but it may also allow a larger interpretation… By putting the public in the shooter position it can increase the degree of emotional impact and in a way a choice to make: encourage deforestation through paper or exotic wood items for exemple and shoot OR take a stand and be responsible in our purchases and don’t pull the trigger.

Tags: Brazil, deforestation, environment, greenpeace, Inhotim

This entry was posted on Mardi, décembre 27th, 2011 at 17 h 11 min and is filed under campaigns, Print. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.