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Proposal to make animal logos pay for wildlife programs
Jeremy Hance, mongabay.com
October 8, 2008


They are everywhere: images of animals and nature to market large corporations’ products. There is the simply-sketched penguin on every Penguin Book; the leaping silver jaguar from the car company of the same name; the jumping helmet-wearing dolphin of the Miami Dolphins’ football team; and the ubiquitous talking gecko used in Geico auto insurance commercials. Such logos have always been free; however a new campaign, Save Your Logo, will encourage corporations with animal or nature logos to support endangered species and their dwindling habitats.

According to an article on the IUCN website, the initiative is apart of a new partnership of the IUCN, The Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the World Bank with additional cooperation from the Belgian NGO, Noe Institute.

The largest cat in the Americas has helped sell millions of cars, conservationists think it's time the jaguar receives something in return.

“We know from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species that the world is facing an extinction crisis,” Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director General of IUCN, says. “We hope that this initiative will help save the wonderful species that organizations often use for their logos.” Save Your Logo hopes to greatly expand funding for endangered species from the companies, which benefit from animal logos. The program will focus mostly on endangered species, but will also aid species that are commonly used in logos. The monies will go toward long-term preservation of the species’ habitat.

To launch the pilot phase of Save Your Logo, GEF has committed to investing five million dollars. It expects to raise more from the private sector.

“Many corporations have profited dearly from the hundreds of animals and plants they have built their brands around,” Monique Barbut, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF points out. “Given the biodiversity crisis facing the planet, it is probably time to give back some of it so that their logos won’t disappear forever.”

Penguins, jaguars, dolphins, geckos, and many other species may soon find themselves finally benefiting from the commercial spotlight.

This gecko won't speak in an English accent or try to sell you car insurance, but it could benefit from the new initiative Save Your Logo.

Is the penguin posing for its book deal? Doubtful, but with climate change penguins will need all the help they can get to survive in a warmer world.