The public and political awareness campaign will highlight Japan’s plans to kill 50 endangered whales in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary surrounding Antarctica.
The first wave kicks off in November when MPs will be invited to a press launch explaining the situation. This is timed to coincide with the departure of the Japanese whaling fleet from port.
The second wave of the campaign will launch through social networking sites, to garner public pressure on MPs.
IFAW has identified over 50 whales that are in danger. It will publicise their names, individual personalities and markings. MPs will be persuaded to adopt the whales and IFAW will monitor them to show their fate. IFAW is also targeting national press environmental correspondents.
IFAW has brought in integrated agency Satellite to help with the campaign. The agency will support the four-strong internal comms team, headed up by communications manager Rosa Argent.
‘The UK tends to take a backseat and does not challenge the whalers,’ said Satellite MD Iain Patton. ‘We will be urging MPs – particularly [Foreign Secretary] David Miliband – to make the UK take an active role in putting pressure on Japan.’
Satellite and IFAW are planning another campaign next spring. ‘Ocean Noise’ will draw attention to the invisible danger that increasing underwater noise, from shipping, military sonar and oil drilling, poses to whales and dolphins.
