Absolute success of the “Sexi” Campaign in the heart of Mexico City
On Tuesday September the 20th we officially launched the controversial campaign “My man does not need sea turtle eggs”. The press conference took place in one of the most emblematic areas of Mexico City: the traditional Cantina Salón Tenampa, located in plaza Garibldi, the typical place for mariachi and Mexican popular culture. Besides being an iconic place, Plaza Garibaldi is strategically located downtown, a few blocks from Tepito, la Lagunilla, La Merced and La Nueva Viga, places that have been identified as critical for the consumption of sea turtle eggs.
There were representatives of thirty different media, including broadcasting networks such as Univisión, Telemundo, NBC news, APTV and Televisión Azteca; international news agencies such as Associated Press and Belo México, national and international radio networks such as National Public Radio and news journals such as The Times (London), Chicago Tribune, La Jornada, La Prensa, el Universal, Milenio, Reforma, among others.
The press conference was headed by the eloquent of our good friend Homero Aridjis, president of the environmental organization Grupo de los Cien, Ivan Zúñiga, Director of Fondo Educación Ambiental, the Oaxacan poet Natalia Toledo, Adriana Rivera, representative of PROFEPA – the enforcement arm of the natural resources ministry in the Metropolitan area -, and the creator of this campaign, WiLDCOAST´s communication director Fay Crevoshay.
The conference was also honored by the presence of our executive director Serge Dedina, two elegant female models that joined the plea to men to not consume sea turtle eggs, and a dozen enthusiastic volunteers that distributed posters, postcards, stickers and banners around Plaza Garibaldi, Tepito and La Lagunilla market, with great acceptation from the audience.
The most symbolic moment of the event occurred when we visited the “Santa Muerte” sanctuary in the heart of el Barrio de Tepito, a place visited by hundreds of followers of this cult in one of the most critical areas for sea turtle egg consumption. As we passed by the streets of Tepito, dozens of people (specially men) approached us asking for posters and postcards to hang on their businesses and shops. In the words of PROFEPA’s female representative “this is the kind of campaign that we need, since people (specially men) DO turn to look at the ads and read them; this has been an absolute success”.
We will continue to distribute banners, posters, postcards and “I do not eat sea turtle eggs” stickers in different locations of the city through local contacts, specially with the support of PROFEPA`s metropolitan delegation, who will distribute more than 6,000 postcards, 500 posters and 6 big banners in strategic areas of the city. The ads will also appear in various national magazines and we will continue our communication efforts through radio and television. The materials are also being distributed through an extensive network of turtle camps and non-profit organizations in the States of Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Guerrero, Michoacán, Jalisco and Baja California Sur.
We want –more than ever- to thank Dorismar for the successful use of her image, our executive director Serge Dedina for his trust and support, our partners and friends of Fondo Educación Ambiental, Grupo de los Cien, Pronatura Noroeste, Fondo de Conservación del Golfo de California, Selva Negra and all of WiLDCOAST’s team for their irreplaceable support, Colectivo Creativo for their artistic talent, PROFEPA for their invaluable support in the distribution of materials, all media representatives who have spread our message, and all those who have directly or indirectly supported these efforts.
We would like to give special thanks to all our volunteers for their patience and altruistic efforts in this noble cause.
Thanks to all for making this campaign a world success!
We will keep you informed.
Sincerely,
Aida Navarro Barnetche, MSc.
Wildlife Conservation Program Manager
WILDCOAST
International Conservation Team
anavarro@wildcoast.net | www.tortugamarina.com
