Chinese film icon and WildAid Ambassador Li Bingbing joined the Ivory Free campaign, a new initiative of WildAid, pledging to never buy, own or accept ivory as a gift, and support stronger government ivory bans.
At a press conference at the Ritz-Carlton, Beijing on December 5, WildAid also unveiled a new PSA created in partnership with African Wildlife Foundation and Save The Elephants.
The video starts with Li Bingbing and a group of children running through a field, fleeing the gunfire of a poacher. Li is shot and transforms into an elephant as she falls to the ground. Her children are now calves mourning over her dying body. She snaps back to reality, shocked and sitting in a cinema. Still in shock, she removes her 3D glasses and reaches out to make sure her children are safely next to her. The message at the end reads, “What if this wasn’t a movie … 96 elephants are killed each day for their ivory. When the buying stops the killing can too.”
Through a partnership with Wanda Cinemas, the PSA will be shown on 1,300 screens in 150 theaters across China. A version of the ad will also air on television and on screens in airports, train stations and street-level electronic billboards.
“I feel honored to work with WildAid, and hope to make my own contribution to the protection of elephants. This public service announcement is well worth looking forward to as it has both warm affections and cruel realities,” said Li at the press conference. “Together with WildAid, I want to tell the public that every life should be respected, including elephants.”
“We are pleased to cooperate with Ms. Li in launching this new public service announcement. The most effective way to solve the elephant poaching crisis and end ivory trading is to reduce the demand of ivory, because when the buying stops, the killing can too,” said WildAid Executive Director Peter Knights.
Li also appears in a companion print advertising campaign that is on display now at 107 placements throughout Beijing airport and Shanghai’s two airports.
At the press conference, WildAid in coordination with the Cheung Kong Graduate School’s Public Welfare Commission of the Alumni Council kicked off an entrepreneur signature campaign to get business leaders to take the Ivory Free pledge. This campaign is a continuation of WildAid’s outreach to China’s business elite.
Already, more than 100 famous entrepreneurs, including Liu Chuanzhi, Chairman of Lenovo, Yu Minghong, CEO of New Oriental Education & Technology Group, Feng Lun, Chairman of Vantone Group and Ma Yun, Chairman of Alibaba Group, have joined the campaign. Huang Nubo, Chairman of Zhongkun Group, Chen Tao, Xiaoyu International Investment Co. Ltd, and Wilson, General Manager of the Ritz- Carlton, Beijing and JW Marriot Hotel, Beijing attended the press conference and took the Ivory Free pledge.
Learn more about Ivory Free and take the pledge at ivoryfree.org.
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WildAid is a non-profit organization with a mission to protect wildlife from illegal trade and other imminent threats. While most wildlife conservation groups focus on protecting animals from poaching, WildAid primarily works to reduce global consumption of wildlife products such as elephant ivory, rhino horn and shark fin soup. With an unrivaled portfolio of celebrity ambassadors and a global network of media partners, WildAid leverages more than $308 million in annual pro-bono media support with a simple message: When the Buying Stops, the Killing Can Too.
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