What This Report Covers
WWF Japan commissioned GlobeScan to evaluate the effectiveness of its campaign to reduce demand for high-risk exotic pets in Japan. The research found that campaign impact varied according to consumers’ level of interest, frequency of exposure, and the types of messages used. The findings offer lessons for designing behavior change campaigns that aim to reduce demand for wildlife kept as pets despite the risks involved.
Japan is a major consumer market for exotic pets, and demand for these animals can contribute to wildlife extinction risk and the expansion of illegal trade. WWF Japan’s campaign focused on seven high-risk exotic pet species/taxa, including otters, slow lorises, foxes, and owls.
The campaign highlighted the challenges and risks associated with keeping high-risk exotic pets through species-specific digital content distributed on platforms such as YouTube. The evaluation found that campaign impact varied by audience interest and exposure frequency, with repeated exposure and emotionally engaging messages proving most effective in influencing attitudes and intentions.
Key findings include:
- Repeated exposure matters: exposure to campaign materials four times or more was associated with lower ownership intention and more negative attitudes toward keeping high-risk exotic pets.
- Message design is important: emotional appeals and social norms may be more effective than informational messages alone in encouraging behavior change.
- Visuals need careful testing: attractive animal imagery may unintentionally increase ownership interest among some audiences.
- Campaign impact varies by audience segment: including consumers’ level of interest in high-risk exotic pets and whether they recall seeing the campaign.
WWF Japan commissioned GlobeScan to conduct research evaluating the effectiveness of its campaign to reduce demand for high-risk exotic pets in Japan. The study assessed campaign impact by comparing respondents who recalled the campaign with those who did not, analyzing differences in ownership intentions and attitudes. Respondents were also segmented based on current pet ownership activity and level of interest in interacting with high-risk exotic pets.
In this study, “high-risk exotic pets” refers to species or taxonomic groups identified as having a high risk in at least one of the following areas: extinction, illegal trade, animal welfare, zoonotic disease, or invasive species.
