Singer Billy Joel raises his voice in campaign to save African elephants
buzzz worthy. . .
Said
Bill Koenigsberg, President, CEO, and founder of Horizon Media. "Since
partnering with The Wildlife Conservation Society last year, 96
Elephants have seen incredible momentum to protect elephants by securing
effective US moratorium laws, bolstering elephant protection with
additional funding, and educating the public about the link between
ivory consumption and the elephant poaching crisis. We have come a long
way but more needs to be done and we are excited to have Billy Joel lend
his star power to the 96 Elephants movement."
Africa's elephants have just gotten a powerful new supporter -- music legend, Billy Joel.
Joel's
voice is heard in a series of new ads supporting the Wildlife
Conservation Society's (WCS) 96 Elephants campaign -- so named for the
number of elephants slaughtered each day by poachers.
With
the backdrop of computer-animated elephants coming to life from shards
of ivory, Joel's voiceover warns: "We can't turn back time, but we can
reverse this trend. Don't be the generation that allowed elephants to go
extinct."
The "Take a Stand
for Elephants" campaign was conceived and developed for 96 Elephants by
pro bono partner, Steve Harper, founder of ThisisBonaFide.com.
Harper is an independent creative director, designer, and animator
based in New York. The campaign will appear across television, radio,
print, digital, and OOH channels and media will be activated by Horizon
Media, working on behalf of 96 Elephants. Additionally, Quinn will
continue to serve as the public relations partner for the 96 Elephants
effort.
Last year, Joel wrote
a passionate, open letter published on his website: "I am a piano
player. And I realize that ivory piano keys are preferred by some
pianists…but a preference for ivory keys does not justify the slaughter
of 96 elephants every day. There are other materials which can be
substituted for piano keys. But magnificent creatures like these can
never be replaced. Music must never be used as an excuse to destroy an
endangered species. Music should be a celebration of life -- not an
instrument of death."
Said
John Calvelli, WCS Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and
Director of the 96 Elephants campaign: "Through his timeless music,
Billy Joel has become a cultural icon and has spoken out for many
important causes. Now, Billy Joel has taken a stand for elephants, and
for that we are extremely grateful."
96
Elephants brings together world citizens, partners, thought leaders,
and change makers to leverage collective influence to stop the killing
of elephants, stop the trafficking, and stop the demand for
ivory. Working with campaign members, which includes 195 partners
including 125 zoos across 45 states, 96 Elephants has helped banned
ivory sales in New York and New Jersey and is currently supporting
proposed bans in California -- the largest ivory market after New York
-- and across the United States.
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
MISSION: WCS
saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation
action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. VISION: WCS
envisions a world where wildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas,
valued by societies that embrace and benefit from the diversity and
integrity of life on earth. To achieve our mission, WCS,
based at the Bronx Zoo, harnesses the power of its Global Conservation
Program in more than 60 nations and in all the world's oceans and its
five wildlife parks in New York City, visited by 4 million people
annually. WCS combines its expertise in the field, zoos, and aquarium to
achieve its conservation mission. Visit: www.wcs.org; http://www.facebook.com/TheWCS; http://www.youtube.com/user/WCSMedia Follow: @thewcs.
96 ElephantsWCS
is leading global efforts to save Africa's elephants and end the
current poaching and ivory trafficking crisis. In September 2013, WCS
launched its 96 Elephants campaign to amplify and support the Clinton
Global Initiative (CGI) "Partnership to Save Africa's Elephants" by
stopping the killing, stopping the trafficking, and stopping the demand.
The WCS campaign focuses on: securing effective moratoria on sales of
ivory; bolstering elephant protection; and educating the public about
the link between ivory consumption and the elephant poaching crisis. www.96elephants.org
