The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), FINCH and founding partner Mars, Incorporated recently announced an initiative aimed at transforming the lives of animals across the world. The initiative, asking advertisers to contribute a percentage of their media spend to conservation and animal welfare projects, was presented at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
The initiative, a fund called The Lion’s Share, will see partners contribute 0.5% of their media spend to the fund for each advertisement they use featuring an animal. Those funds will be used to support animals and their habitats around the world. Mars is the first advertising partner in The Lion’s Share.
“Animals are in 20% of all advertisements we see. Yet, they do not always receive the support they deserve. Until now,” said Lion’s Share Special Ambassador Sir David Attenborough.
“The Lion’s Share shows that by making a small difference today, we have an opportunity to make an unprecedented difference tomorrow,” Sir David Attenborough added.
The fund, which will be hosted by UNDP, is seeking to raise $100m a year within 3 years, with the money being invested in a range of wildlife conservation and animal welfare programs to be implemented by United Nations and civil society organizations. Other partners announced during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity include advertising network BBDO and leading measurement company Nielsen.