Looking back and taking note - Votes for Animals
Joining the world of freelance has forced me to get my ducks in a row. I came across this today. The Lush Votes for Animals Campaign.
It was 2015 and nearing the General Election. The campaigns team approached the brand team to make some ideas they had in partnership their charity partners, bring Animals Rights to the forefront of people’s minds.
You can read about it here,
The Process
First came the creative concepts with the the campaigns director coming to us with the idea of using the iconic suffragette imagery to convey its message. Our CD at the time (Andy!) elevated the idea by suggesting we do it all for real. Maybe him or someone else found the masks by Wintercroft and it totally shifted campaign to become an immersive experience. It was the first time I really saw a campaign through from end to end.
I scouted out locations with our photographer
I sorted styling (we have an AMAZING shop locally)
The design team helped and supported with all the assets and created the plaques and graphics. Shout out to Tamsin who illustrated a lot of it from memory!
I looked after a lot of the production for the shoot day (as well as the window merchandising) and I realised the time and craft needed to set up a campaign with this calibre. Andy led the shoot day and I fluttered around him, fixing badges and dresses trying to learn on the job. Richard Skins, the in house photographer at the time shot it all. And Lush’s ethos gave us the space to just go be creative and after a long shoot day I remember we produced some amazing images (Thanks for modelling Molls & Victoria!) The campaign continued with a group of us marching through London dressed up wearing the masks ending at the houses of parliament with the lovely Brian May!
Someone from the team spotted the masks (maybe Michael or Lauren? I can’t be sure) and next there were loads of fox masks being produced as the team collaborated with the League Against Cruel Sports, Animal Aid & Common Decency protesting the amendment of the fox hunting ban. I suddenly started seeing images through the guardian of their protests with a sea or orange. I’ll never forget the image of Lauren Marina amongst a sea of placards.
WTF….I think I was part of this….actually something that benefits others over pure capitalism. I’ve not always got it right in creative campaigns (both personally and commercially) and they were always difficult subjects to navigate as the topics are sensitive, especially if you don’t have the depth of knowledge however, each time I was involved the more I learnt and the more I learnt from mistakes (I fucked up a lot) and broadened my own horizons and became a better creative. I consider my self incredibly fortunate to have had that around me and to be involved.
If my facts aren’t quite right drop me a message as this was 6 years ago and the memories are a little hazy! There’s also always a lot of people involved in the project who I probably haven’t credited so if I’ve missed ya holla! xx