Selling Conservation: lessons from Selfridges

11 Oct 2011 – 6:00 pm - 7:45 pm

If conservation is truly important then why is it such a low priority for most people and bottom of the political agenda? Is the conservation community failing in selling the conservation message to the general public? What will it take to make conservation fashionable, ultimately leading to changes in behaviour and a more sustainable relationship with our planet?

In 2011 ZSL embarked on a conservation-communication experiment with Selfridges, involving celebrities, scientists, royalty, youth-group leaders, parliamentarians, heads of state, leaders from the fishing industry, artists and fashion designers. Events ran for over a month and ranged from political forums to live music, celebrity chef demonstrations and children’s theatre. We review this experiment, explore other social marketing initiatives and discuss novel approaches to engaging a broader audience in conservation.

Project Ocean
Photo: Katie Miller

Speakers:

Alannah Weston - Creative Director, Selfridges

Heather Koldewey - ZSL Global Programmes, Section Head

Barry Gardiner - MP for Brent North

Arlo Brady - Board Director, Freud Communications

Stephen Emmott - Head of Computational Science, Microsoft Research

Organised by Jonathan Baillie, Director of Conservation Programmes, ZSL.

Please note that this event has already taken place

Further Information: please contact Megan Orpwood-Russell, Scientific Meetings Coordinator, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY.
Tel:+44 (0)20 7449 6227. Fax: +44 (0)20 7449 6411. E-mail: megan.orpwood-russell@zsl.org.

ZSL Science and Conservation Events: An essential part of ZSL's work is to communicate relevant, high-quality zoological and conservation science. The integrated ZSL Science and Conservation Events programme includes Symposia, and the new 'Wildlife Conservation' and 'Communicating Science' series. Topics cover a wide variety of zoological and conservation themes, and international experts present and discuss their research.