JCDecaux and WildAid announce “Partnership for the Wild”

JCDecaux, the number one outdoor advertising company worldwide, and international conservation organization WildAid are joining their efforts to save the world’s most iconic wild animals.

The newly announced “Partnership for the Wild” aims to end the illegal wildlife trade by raising awareness and by reducing consumer demand for illicit or unsustainable products like elephant ivory, rhino horn and shark fin soup.

Through a global partnership, JCDecaux will launch an international outdoor campaign, promoting WildAid’s educational advertisements in Africa, the United States and Asia. The campaign features famous charity ambassadors, such as Jackie Chan, Yao Ming, Li Bingbing, Jay Chou, Lang Lang and Angelababy in China, as well as international icons Prince William, David Beckham, Lupita Nyong’o, Maggie Q, Sir Richard Branson, and many others.

Through its signature message “when the buying stops, the killing can too,” the campaign educates consumers about the devastating impacts of purchasing endangered wildlife products. Once aware, most consumers are willing to change their behavior. For example, the organization’s campaign on shark fin soup with Jackie Chan and Yao Ming in China has helped reduce shark fin consumption by 80% since 2011.

Translated in 6 languages, the campaign will be displayed in more than 10 countries by the end of 2018. To raise awareness for China’s recent ban on ivory sales, over 600 billboards featuring Yao Ming have been displayed in Beijing airport and numerous high visibility sites in major cities with even more to be displayed in other cities throughout China. Further, the campaign will be rolled out in Tanzania this month, and shark protection messages will be promoted in Hong Kong SAR and Thailand.

This new initiative reinforces the existing relationship between WildAid and JCDecaux. The company has supported WildAid’s work for several years, particularly in China. This multi-year global partnership will help raise awareness worldwide and support the conservation efforts of local governments. Using its global presence, JCDecaux regularly supports sustainable projects and contributes to changing behaviors for the better.

Peter Knights, CEO of WildAid said: “JCDecaux has been instrumental in extending WildAid’s reach to millions of consumers across the world. Thanks to the company’s generosity, we will be able to reach more people in more places with messages that will help protect imperiled wildlife.”

Jean-Sébastien Decaux, CEO Southern Europe, Belgium and Luxembourg, Africa, Israel and member of the Executive Board of JCDecaux, said: “We are proud to support WildAid in its struggle against the illegal wildlife trade. As a regional and local actor in many Asian and African countries, JCDecaux is deeply concerned by the environmental issues taking place in these countries.”

“This partnership is aligned with our commitment to contribute to a more sustainable world. We are delighted to combine the strengths of our products with WildAid to raise people’s awareness all around the world through hard-hitting campaigns. We hope that this will help educate individual behaviors,” Decaux said.