Project Creative Brief

Creative Brief Campaign to Reduce Elephant Ivory Purchase and Consumption Among Consumers driven by Spiritual or Religious Beliefs In Thailand

Background USAID Wildlife Asia Project – Need to Reduce Consumer Demand Over the past decade, criminal wildlife trade has become a crisis of unprecedented proportions. Its impact threatens an increasing number of species with extinction. For example, elephants – once abundant across the African continent – are increasingly relegated to well-guarded protected areas. Even with constant monitoring by armed guards, their numbers have been reduced by more than 130,000 animals over the past decade. The illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth between USD 5-25 billion annually. It is linked to corruption, criminal gangs, and, in some cases, terrorist groups. Nevertheless, wildlife trafficking is generally less effectively addressed than other types of global crime. Successful prosecution rates are low, and severe penalties are very rarely handed down. High demand for wildlife parts and products and the huge profits to be made, coupled with gaps in enforcement capacity, and nominal political engagement all exacerbate the problem. USAID Wildlife Asia seeks to help counter wildlife crime through three basic strategies – reduction in consumer demand for wildlife parts and products in China and in Thailand, strengthened law enforcement and improved policies and regulation.

Key Findings from Consumer Situation Analysis by USAID Wildlife Asia

A. Key findings of Situation Analysis - General

Findings of the Situation Analysis (review of findings from available consumer research studies on ivory, rhino horn, pangolin and tiger parts and products) conducted by the USAID Wildlife Asia Project reveal many commonalities among the consumer segments across products and countries (Thailand, China, Vietnam). Among the key findings relevant to the three countries are:

1. Confirmation of two primary drivers that underlie consumption/use ofl wildlife parts and products – status (for gift giving and for personal consumption) for ivory, rhino horn and pangolin; and medicinal value for rhino horn, pangolin and tiger products 2. Establishment of the links between consumers who consume for status and those who consume for medicinal value – medicinal value-driven consumers are also status-driven consumers (those who consume for status use wildlife products for medicine and those who use for medicinal value were seen as having higher status) 3. Appeals to social good, environmental protection and animal conservation were not strong motivators or drivers of reduced consumption of focal wildlife parts and products 4. Social networks are important in influencing norms around status-driven consumption; traditional Chinese medicine practitioners are key influencers for medicinal use of wildlife 5. Desire to purchase focal wildlife parts and products remains among many consumer segments, including previous buyers and aspiring or likely buyers 6. Existing and past campaigns primarily focused on raising awareness of conservation-related objectives but few have addressed the status and medicinal-value factors that drive consumption behavior. Few impact evaluations of these campaigns have been done. B. Situation Analysis Findings specific to Thailand

Among the key findings for Thailand are:

 Similar status drivers operate for ivory consumption in Thailand with ivory purchase driven by the fact that they convey financial and social status.

 Another significant driver underlying ivory consumption in Thailand is religion – around one-third of those surveyed by a study said that “ivory is sacred, sublime, noble and exotic”. This perception is tied to ivory’s common use in religious carvings and its color and perceived purity.

 Ivory is also considered especially suitable for gift-giving.

 There is a significant group of young (25-45 years old) Current Buyers.

 There is a significant group of young (18-34 years old) Likely Buyers.

 Those surveyed were not aware of the illegal killing of elephants for ivory (Note: Domestic sale of ivory is not illegal if the ivory comes from Thai domestic elephants, but ivory from African elephants are illegal. The lack of a domestic ban presents an opportunity for illegal ivory from Africa to be smuggled into and enter the domestic Thai market).

 Interviews yielded three prominent categories for ivory consumption in Thailand: the (typically older) wealthy elite and government officials, who often buy expensive an elaborate pieces sometimes consisting of entire tusks; religious or superstitious consumers who mostly seek amulets for their ‘magical’ properties; and generally wealthier tourists who are unaware or feign ignorance of ivory laws. Men tend to be the main buyers of ivory amulets, many of whom are Buddhist monks. There is a huge informal economy in Thailand surrounding ivory amulets, the most valuable of which can fetch upwards of $100,000 USD. Monks often give amulets, whose magic is said to remove evil spirits, in return for donations.

Thais buy mostly Buddhist artifacts and amulets, while the Chinese more often buy Chinese figurines, chopsticks and sometimes entire tusk carvings. TRAFFIC found that 35-52% of ivory pieces were bangles and large-scale pieces have become increasingly rare. This could imply a large customer base and a growing middle class distanced from the religious reverence for the elephant is adopting a taste for ivory trinkets. (https://sites.utexas.edu/wildlife/2015/05/12/the-nature-of-ivory-demand- thailand/)  Many Thais wear amulets, sometimes dozens, to bring them luck and protect them from harm and black magic. Bangkok’s amulet market is huge, with countless vendors selling tens of thousands of small talismans made of materials such as metal, compressed dust, bone—and ivory. High-end amulets can fetch $100,000 or more. There are magazines, trade shows, books, and websites devoted to amulet collecting. Amulets hang from the rearview mirror of almost every Thai cab. (http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/10/ivory/christy-text)

 AMULETS 101: An interview with amulet master (http://www.khaosodenglish.com/life/2014/10/01/1412144690/ )

 In 2015, Thailand passed the Elephant Ivory Act aimed at regulating the legal market in ivory from domesticated, privately owned Asian elephants that requires owners and traders to register their ivory. More than 44,000 Thais registered over 220 tons of elephant ivory by the deadline on April 21,2015. The government has also prohibited the trade and sale of ivory from African elephants by enacting an amendment to the country's existing Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act, making African elephants a protected species in Thailand. (http://wwf.panda.org/?251411/Thailands-first-ivory-destruction-sends-a- crushing-message-of-zero-tolerance-to-wildlife-criminals) Some NGO are concerned about how legal ivory and retail sellers will be tracked under the new system, and what type of sales certificates will be produced for retail customers. Important questions remain about how the Thai government will be able to enforce its new ivory laws, how future stocks and retail markets will be inspected and what penalties will be given to non-registered ivory retailers and traffickers.

Target Primary Target Audience: Current Wildlife Consumers of elephant ivory who buy, use Audiences or give as gifts, based on spiritual or religious beliefs

Secondary Target Audience: Potential Wildlife Consumers

Desired To never buy, use or give ivory. Action: What do we want target audience to do? Openings: Agency to propose media or channel(s) What communication openings and vehicles should be used? Mandatories: Agency to propose thematic key message (reason why) to support the Desired What are Action. some creative, message and /or campaign elements that MUST be included in creative execution?

Campaign Agency to propose mix of materials and provide sample of key material to Materials: communicate the Key Message What material do we want the creative to produce?