Commentary

Stamps Turn Into Do-Good Ad Medium

Sure, online bill paying and e-cards may be the more accepted and economical way to go, but most of us still use stamps for some tasks. And lately, stamps have become canvases to promote various causes, like finding missing children in Canada and saving rhinos from extinction in South Africa.

The rationale for the latter campaign: Worldwide, there are 29,000 rhinos left, with 75% found in South Africa. Sadly, rhino horns sell for big bucks on the black market ($60,000 per kilogram), used for medicinal purposes, like curing cancer or a hangover.

TBWA\Hunt\Lacaris created a campaign in an effort to target the very people who are buying rhino horns. The agency turned typically beautiful stamps depicting regal animals into graphic displays of animal cruelty. Pictures of dead rhinos, with bloody holes where their horns once were, now illustrate stamps with copy in Chinese, Vietnamese or Thai that states: “Say no to rhino horn.”

Posters made from the stamps were placed in post offices and game lodges for people to remove and use for mailings. See examples here, here and here.

“These stamps were designed to turn your letter into a weapon against poaching,” read one poster. “On this wall, these stamps have no value. But on your letter they could save a rhino’s life,” read another.

The overall goal was to cross borders with stamps and get letters with rhino stamps in the hands of the very people buying rhino horns.

In addition, books of stamps were sent as direct-mail pieces and inserts, or given away.

Copy inside the booklets was just as compelling as the out-of-home component. “Poachers have invaded our borders. It’s time for us to invade theirs,” and “You don’t need a gun to join the fight against poaching. Just a stamp.”

1 comment about "Stamps Turn Into Do-Good Ad Medium".
Check to receive email when comments are posted.
  1. Victor Demars from Magna Architectural Design, October 29, 2013 at 7:30 a.m.

    The advertising strategy can be rated above average, it is appealing and interesting. I'm sure that you'd have tons of customers. Good luck to your business, and thank you for sharing your ideas.

    essays.mightystudents.com

Next story loading loading..