TORONTO — If you want to get attention on the Internet, a cute cat video is a sure way to do it. That’s what the World Wildlife Fund Canada is betting on with a new online spot about sustainable seafood called “Norman: Eco-Warrior.”
The video, which WWF-Canada hopes will go viral, introduces viewers to Norman the housecat, who a voiceover tells us is very concerned about what he can do to help the environment. Aside from “daily research into…solar power” (playing with sun spots on the wall) and “water conservation and reuse” (drinking from the toilet bowl), Norman wants to make sure the food he eats comes from sustainable sources.
Norman was therefore “very excited” to learn about Toronto-based Loblaw Co.’s goal to switch to 100% sustainable seafood by 2013. “That’s more than just the fish counter. Even the cat food will change,” the voiceover says.
The video’s release is timed to coincide with Loblaw’s two-week, in-store sustainable seafood promotion, ending Sept. 30, but the WWF-produced video hopes to draw attention to larger issues of sustainability.
“We have a partnership with Loblaw so we’re helping promote them for what they’ve done, which has been the leader on sourcing the MSC [Marine Stewardship Council] and soon the ASC [Aquaculture Stewardship Council] fish and working with their suppliers, like High Liner, to adopt the practices that are needed to meet the environmental standard and therefore earn the label,” said Steven Price, conservation science director for WWF-Canada.
The video is about “promoting sustainable seafood, including how can a consumer get involved,” Price added.
Read more: Loblaw Gives Seafood Sustainability Update
And that involvement entails consumers using their wallets to buy sustainable products.
“I’ll say from a conservation point of view, it may sound odd for an environmentalist to be saying this, but success in the certified sustainable seafood world is more sales of that product,” said Price.
If customers have a choice between two products, one of which is certified as sustainable, WWF-Canada wants the sustainable fish to be the one they buy, Price said. “We’re trying to drive them to the greener choice.”
As for the decision to do so with a cat video, Price said, “It’s a big gamble but it looks like it’s working.”
See the video below:
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