Once a year, we use online viral marketing to help raise awareness of a charity campaign.

We’ve teamed up with the charity IFAW (the International Fund for Animal Welfare), to launch an online viral marketing campaign as part of IFAW’s campaign against a resurgence in elephant poaching for the ivory trade.

The campaign encourages people to sign an online petition which will be presented to the UK government before a UN vote on selling off stockpiled ivory (and effectively re-opening the ivory trade) takes place in May 2004.

The viral marketing activity uses a new online film clip called ‘Blood on your hands’, which aims to raise awareness of the campaign and spread the message ‘Help end the slaughter’. The clip stars Lisa B (Hugh Grant’s American girlfriend in ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’) who, along with other high-profile actors including Julie Walters, is a major supporter of the campaign.

In the clip, Lisa plays a glamorous woman having an expensive ivory necklace put around her neck by her tuxedo-clad lover. As he puts the necklace around her neck she touches it in appreciation, and the pair leave a trail of blood wherever they lay their hands. The powerful film ends with challenging footage of a poached elephant. Viewers are then urged to go to the IFAW site to sign the online petition.

Long-term IFAW supporter Lisa, who gave her time for free, said:

I’m delighted to have been involved in making this film. I hope it will be circulated far and wide, gathering as many signatures as possible for the IFAW petition to stop the ivory stockpile sales going ahead.

We’re seeding the film, and tracking its views and hotlinks to help IFAW gauge the impact the campaign makes before the petition is submitted to the UK government.

You can see the ‘Blood Money’ viral ad on the Lycos Viral Chart here

If you would like to find out more about the campaign or would like to know more about our connected marketing services, please contact us