WWF strongly condemns unauthorized ad campaign while it wins awards?!?

01 Sep 2009 / 1 Comment

Picture 15

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I don’t think there’s a lot to be said for spec work except when 1. the client didn’t actually ask for it, (It is starting to appear that WWF Brazil did approve of the ad) 2. was offensive and 3. was thought highly enough by peers to be awarded “Merit”.

You can read WWF’s press release of the unauthorized ad campaign at www.worldwildlife.org/who/media/press/2009/WWFPresitem13540.html

It’s been taken down… And for a limited time (I hope), the One Award web site showcasing the ad: www.oneclub.org/os/os/showcase/?year=2009&id=10486

UPDATE: Looks like the Denver Egotist has a lot more info
http://thedenveregotist.com/article/4910/the-wwf-ad-controversy-fallout

UPDATE DEUX:

Update: backpeddles on the spec part

This is getting frustrating, it seems like WWF did approve the ad and wasn’t being honest with their first press release. There’s a couple more updated pieces of info coming to light. You can go to the Daily Telegraph which has a good account of what the hell is going on.

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Posted in: Advertising & Marketing, Design
  • jonsel

    I recall awhile back (5-7 years or so) a bit of a stink because agencies were submitting unpublished work and winning contests. Were there any guidelines put in place for this by the major contests like One Show, D&AD or Cannes?

    This is pretty reprehensible behavior on the part of the agency who, failing to gain a client from an offensive ad, STILL decided it was award worthy and submitted it.

    Maybe it's worth a few emails to some of these guys (http://www.oneclub.org/os/os/showcase/2009/judges/) and ask what they were thinking giving it even a merit award.