I was fortunate enough to encounter a dual purpose for the blog post and IA6 assignment. The World Wildlife Fund for Nature recently rolled out a campaign to encourage energy reduction practices through a media campaign supported by the likes of Jamie Foxx, Emma Stone, and the Cast of the Amazing Spiderman 2. (No, I don't plan on seeing the movie this May. Spiderman isn't exactly my favorite Marvel hero.) This was very much a star studded event that posed a direct relationship to the articles on celebrity's political intentions. Hence, I decided to expand on the topic of celebrity intentions and NGO Participation.
Earth Hour was launched in 2007 in Australia and has since gained traction in other areas of the globe. According to an article by Richard Parkinson, last year 10 million people in the UK engaged in this platform as part of a record breaking chain of more than 7,000 towns and cities in 154 countries. Being that the success of the campaign ties into how well the initiative's are promoted, I foresee that the long and short term benefits of celebrity endorsement might translate to the realization of NGO credibility if the WWF can find ways to integrate the science behind. Whether or not celebrities are qualified to maintain a lasting knowledge of what the WWF has to offer, it is up to the NGO to be accountable for the substantive, more detailed ends of NGO initiatives. On the other hand, well known hollywood figures leaves a lasting impact if he or she contributes to the campaign with the advised knowledge of the NGO experts. Does this happen frequently? Not so much, but there's always a window of opportunity. An NGO's credibility holds just as much significance as its public reception and civic engagement. And, I believe an expansive organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund can do better to harmonize these to factors to bring awareness to the concerns of conservationists and environmentalists alike.
In an article written by Jordan Bronte, she touches on how the science behind biogas fuel creates an alternative means of livelihood for people in those communities and reduces deforestation. Part of the campaign dealt with wildlife crime scenes and illegal trade of animals --both of which are covered under the WWF's leading interests. As a conglomerate they've been more consistent in these efforts than that of energy consumption and trade liberalization. Jamie Foxx, who plays Electro, chose Light Up A Village, which supports 600 people who live near the Earth Hour forest and helps them get energy products and technologies to reduce their dependency on firewood. David Miller, the president of Canada’s chapter of the World Wildlife Fund, said that people should think about solutions because there are solutions. Miller thinks that an issue can inspire people and that he does not want people to only talk about problems. He also says that it is nice to put a solid spin on Earth Hour and inject a bit of optimism. The World Wildlife Fund hopes that these videos will encourage people to record a video about their own thoughts or take the conversation to social media outlets through the hashtag #amomentofdarkness."
I took a couple minutes to look at the immediate impacts of this campaign strategy here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hZhbIyrx4AQ
In regards to the IA6 prompt, I shifted the focus of my argument. The problem of broadcasting conservation program solely through moral imperatives results in an oversimplification of ecosystem diversity and global enterprise. It seems as though the WWF has been under the microscope for many reasons, but its increased interest in trade and industry have been raising eyebrows of many supporters.
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