Oh, Colombia, the world’s second most biodiverse country. A country that offers a variety of natural eco-regions that are home to unique species of animals. Just picture the beauty of Andean mountains, the Pacific coastal region, and the Amazon rainforest – unique places that are home to hundreds of remarkable animal species.
Despite Columbia being a high-ranking state regarding its biodiversity, a majority of its mammal species are endangered. Just last year, the country faced the danger of extinction of four of its ‘sui generis’ species. What’s behind these unfortunate events? It’s mainly due to the destruction of their habitats and a lack of compensation for these losses. Now that we know the reason, the solution should come knocking, right?
Yes, you just wait for the mega event of the year, Halloween, and throw a hell of a party. And that’s quite easy when the host is Almacenes Éxito — the largest retail store in Colombia — with the help of a skilled neighbor, represented by Sancho BBDO. Together they managed to throw a Halloween party all over the picturesque country not just to celebrate the spooky season of the year, but also to raise awareness about the endangered species that might soon become extinct.
And no Halloween party would be complete were it not for the costumes people wear during the holidays. So, for both this year’s Halloween and this week’s #ThrowBrandThursday, let’s get dressed in a special outfit, with which the brand came up: either the Andean bear, Orinoco crocodile, sloth bear, or the ferocious jaguar. Now, if you ask us, we’ll probably stick with this species-saving T-shirt, courtesy of Lacoste. We’re just a bit too old to be attending such parties. But it’s up to you which dress you choose for your kids. It’s important to just pick one to support either Almacenes Éxito’s efforts, or Lacoste’s polo shirts initiative!
But let’s focus on the Colombian company’s shenanigans. To remind people of the endangered species and make people do something to stop them from dying out, Almacenes Éxito designed four costumes to raise funds and protect the animals in danger. Throughout the month of October, kids could dress up in these costumes and giving the animals a roaring voice. Not just to scare their neighbors, but, this way, the little ones were able to invite everyone to buy the costumes in more than 30 stores around the country.
This isn’t a usual #TBT column, as the campaign is still taking place in Colombia this year. But, it’s important to empower people and remind them that it’s high time to protect the animals and their natural habitat. Almacenes Éxito promised to bring back the costumes to its stores, keeping them on the shelves until this isn’t a problem anymore.
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