How much respect and money would I get if I was a king? And how much attention would I be given if I was a great hero? If I was famous and appeared in many advertisements and one day I fell sick, do you think the advertiser would help me out? I have been thinking about these questions recently, as I have been noticing many companies here in Africa, and across the world using lions in their advertising. Here is one example where a lion is advertising a DVD player.
And another for a fridge.
I have also seen lions advertising DHL, beer and many other things. Maybe you have seen the lion roaring at the beginning of some films? But if I were to go these companies that use the lion to help them sell their products and ask how much they pay to help conserve these beautiful animals, I bet you it is very little, or nothing at all. I think anybody that uses a lion as a logo or trade mark should pay a small percentage towards their conservation. Otherwise what will happen when the lions all die out? It will certainly not be a good advertisement for them anymore!
here – here — they surely should if they use ANY ANIMAL –
THERE SHOULD BE A LAW —
Totally agree Antony. A few months ago, the Mara Triangle blog was and still is trying to get funding, since their gate admission fees were WAY down. One of the BIG cell phone providers, who was contacted, basically laughed in the Conservancy’s face and said they don’t support conservation and the young people only care about their music. Gee, let’s see, how many Kenyan’s have cell phones, and if those people don’t have jobs because of people not visiting Kenya and the Mara, how can their afford their phones? No subscribers, no income for the provider. Doesn’t sound like a ‘win-win’ situation to me.
antony, you are so right! lions need a good lawyer to represent them so that each time a company using an image or a sound of a lion has to pay a fee to lions or those who protect them.