Monday, February 13, 2017

TOW #18 – “Animals are not Clowns” by Acção Animal and LPDA (Visual)

             On the topic of animal rights, two Portuguese organizations, Acção Animal and Liga Portuguesa dos Direitos do Animal (LPDA), combined to form a campaign against the use of animals in circuses. Their campaign goes after the abuse animals face as well as the depression they deal with as a result of being trained to do all sorts of tricks for the amusement of the public with no true freedom to simply live as an animal should.
            The first and most noticeable argument against circus animals is the subject itself. The tiger is controlled by puppet strings in a spot light, and the animal obviously does not seem happy, but it gets after this idea of circuses using animals how they see fit and restricting their freedom. The sight would most importantly evoke pity in the viewer and only enforces the argument to end the use of animals in the circus. Coupled with blue background giving the entire image a somber look, the audience will feel inclined to follow the much smaller text at the bottom of the ad: “support animal free circuses”.

            The tiger may be the most noticeable, but the words crossing its belly also stick out as an effective tool to emotionally persuade the audience into essentially boycotting the use of animals in a circus. “The show musn’t go on” is a twist on a well-known and often used phrase which usually conveyed the idea of never giving up. Now, with the tiger simply left as a puppet for the circus, the two organizations are attempting to fight for the opposite; the end of the show and animal rights.

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