Study task 1: Brief selection - D&AD, "Fur for Animals"

What problem(s) are identified by the brief? 
Despite the advancement of ethics within fashion, every year 100 million of animals are still killed to supply the demand for high end, high street and fur trim garments. 

What is the brief asking you to do about it/them?
Create an online anti-fur campaign, focusing on shareable content on social media that could either be an image(s) or video. 

What is the brief trying to achieve?
Convince people that there is still an issue concerning ethical fur and spark conversations about the cause. Get people to engage with the anti-fur movement and let them know how they can make a difference. 

Who will benefit?

• Fur for animals
• The animals that are killed each year for their fur
• You as a consumer, your saving animals that are being unnecessarily and unethically killed 
• People who are passionate about the anti-fur movement, we are giving them an opportunity to be involved and engaged in the cause. 

What is the message?
The content needs to be appropriate to the 21st century, and show people why this cause is relevant to them. Consider what effectively prompts behavioural change - shaming, shocking, educating? The content needs to be delivered in a way that will resonate with people and shape their opinions. Graphic images often cause people to turn away so the content need to be something that people would want to share on social media.

What is the audience?

• People who have bought or would be considering buying real fur garments. The aim is to change their minds - think about their motivations, fur is often a symbol of social status.
• China and Russia are the primary consumers of unethical fur. The work therefore needs to translate both linguistically and culturally, as well as be relevant to these countries own popular social channels.   
• The general public - by gaining the disapproval of a wider audience this undermines the consumers motivations for buying real fur. 

How will the message be delivered?
The message will be delivered online as shareable content, using either video or image. The content needs to be made in consideration of the 3 second window that exists in which you can grab people's attention and the small budget available with a charitable organisation. It needs to engage people, how can they make a difference? maybe prompt an action? - think about the 'ice bucket' challenge. Another thing worth considering is the involvement of celebrities already in support of the campaign, such as - Joanna Lumley, Paul McCartney or Ricci Gervais.  

Can you foresee any problems in responding to the brief?
This is a very difficult subject to navigate, how do you convince people that their actions are wrong without offending them or being patronising? 
The most effective response to this brief would probably be a video - something I do not have that much experience in...