'The Cove' is a documentary released in 2009,lauded as a remarkable example of investigative journalism, which brings to light a large scale massacre of dolphins near the fishing town of Taiji in Japan. In a shocking revelation, the Japanese government itself is said to have authorized the killing of dolphins, upto a maximum of 20,000 each year. My first reaction when I looked at some photos from the footage was shock. Dolphins, widely regarded one most intelligent animal species, being killed brutally on such a scale provoked public outcry worldwide. Thanks to a good marketing effort by the producers, the 'dolphin cove' received much greater attention than the annual seal killing in Canada, undertaken for similar reasons. I then decided to interpret this event through the lens of a culture code as explained by Clotaire Rapaille.
Upon reflection, I hypothesized that the culture code for dolphins in Japan is either 'FOOD' or 'COMPETITOR'. Japan, an island nation, is heavily dependent on fish as a source of food. Being a volcanic land prone to earthquakes, there are very few alternative food sources. Just like their Scandinavian brethren, the Japanese consume dolphin and whale meat (in spite of the high mercury content cited) in large quantities. So they regard dolphins as food, or in the case of people who do not consume dolphin meat, they are considered competitors for the scarce resource of marine fish. By killing a certain number of dolphins every year, the Japanese ensure adequate food for their own people. We can compare this to the indifferent attitude from people all over the world to the way in which chicken, cows and pigs are killed every year in large numbers, for food.
On the other hand, for people from other countries who are not heavily dependent on fish for food, dolphins represent something entirely different. For Americans and people from other countries where dolphins are seen only in aquariums, water parks etc., the culture code for dolphins is 'PET' or 'FRIEND'. The therapeutic use of dolphins for children afflicted by genetic illnesses, only enhances this view of dolphins as pets/friends. For someone who has grown up watching dolphins perform tricks in water parks, their natural 'smile', and the way they interact with their trainers, killing dolphins is equivalent to killing dogs and pets, which are endearing to children in particular. An analogy could be the situation in South Korea and Taiwan where dog meat is a delicacy, whereas in the US such an act would be most likely met with disgust.
How could marketers use this?
I found an excellent ad by British Airways, which makes use of this culture code of a dolphin being treated as a pet/friend.
The ad shows a young girl watching outside the window of an airplane longingly as she travels to an unknown destination. The clouds move in the shape of dolphins, giving the girl a sense of companionship as she travels alone. The flight attendant places a stuffed dolphin toy next to her, as the voice over says 'Your holiday should begin before you arrive at your destination', while the song playing in the background fades slowly (fittingly the name of the song is 'Leaving on a jet plane'). British Airways makes excellent use of the 'dolphin effect', to connect to the viewers and give them a sense of comfort and companionship associated with the airline.
Other examples include Southwest Airlines painting its aircraft like the orca (also known as the killer whale, a cousin of the dolphin), to promote Seaworld in San Antonio, TX - one of its key markets.
No comments:
Post a Comment