"Sending the wrong message": Gucci draws immense flak for tiger campaign

Controversies stemming from branding campaigns are now a routine affair. The buzz this time is around Gucci's new campaign to mark the Chinese zodiac year of the tiger.

The use of tigers as a mere prop in a residential setting has not gone down well with activists. The campaign showcases people taming the big cats and capturing them as house pets.

Critics believe that a leading fashion house encourages endangered animals for human entertainment and sells high-end products.

Eminent figures such as Elisa Allen, director of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, have called out the Italian fashion house for its distasteful campaign. She added that the brand seems unfamiliar with the current guidelines for treating wild animals.

Why the backlash?

The aesthetics of tigers heavily inspire Gucci’s limited edition collection. The brand themed its collections using tiger pictures on clothes, shoes, and accessories. However, the ad campaign features tigers roaming around the areas where many models gathered for high tea. This setting is a luxurious, retro-style hotel.

The tigers can be seen sitting perched on a piano, lying prone on rugs, or walking around the models. The China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation also condemned the campaign. They explained that it is unethical to keep wild animals outside their natural habitat for commercial purposes.

The worst possible message

Carole Baskin, the founder of Big Cat Rescue, is one of the major voices criticizing the campaign. She left a comment on the campaign criticizing the brand for keeping big cats out of the wild.

Baskins said the campaign promotes the captivity of wild animals. She added that the beauty of tigers is also lost by using them as a side prop.

World Animal Protection (WAP) issues concerns

WAP (US) slammed the campaign by addressing the issue of promoting glamorization on tigers. Nick Stewart, WAP’s global head of wildlife campaigns, said all efforts should be made to protect the big cat.

The organization said such campaigns cause stress to the animals from being photographed. Such photo shoots keep the animal in a cage for hours along with caged transportation.

Such animals are prone to high-explotation as pets, selfie-props, use in traditional medicine, poaching, habitat destruction, and other impacts of climate change.

WAP demanded the campaign be taken down to stop the commodification of the elegant animal.

Gucci’s response

Gucci has remained firm on its decision to use wild cats as props. They claim the animals were monitored by a third party - American Humane. The multinational brand also claims the tigers were photographed and filmed in a separate safe environment.

Gucci’s spokesperson released a statement highlighting the brand’s initiative, the Lion’s Share Fund, raising funds to protect endangered species and their natural habitats. Gucci also committed to a carbon-neutral supply chain in 2018.

Fashion brands set the bar for elite trends and are usually scrutinized for their representations. This is not the first time a luxury brand has been accused of inappropriately co-opting the Chinese lunar year. So far, Gucci has made no statements suggesting the campaign will be suspended.

About the author

Mehak Walia is Delhi-based author and journalist who loves to use her words to create perfection along with the rare merge of storytelling, correctness, readability and clarity.

She has been writing for about 5 years now, has worked with some of the major publications including Women’s Era, Lipstick Politico, Hashtag Magazine, Surfaces Reporter and TheVibe. She has also written four (fiction) books and has been a part of various anthologies based on short stories and poetry.

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