What's the purpose of advertising? I guess when you get right down to it... the main reason for ads is to convince you to buy something. But, that doesn't mean it's the only reason companies advertise. Some might have other secondary goals in mind. One of the campaigns that comes to mind to help illustrate this is Canon's 30-year long Wildlife as Canon Sees it series. These ads have been running since the early 80's (an incredibly long time for any single campaign!) and focus on animals that are endangered species threatened with extinction.
I suppose it shouldn't be any surprise that these ads are featured in issues of National Geographic magazine. Readers of that magazine can easily relate to the message and photographical images shown in this series. There's certainly commercial value for Canon in making that connection with potential consumers. But... I admire them for their approach, because they could have done this other ways. Instead, they're using a secondary purpose of advertising and creating awareness for a social issue that their company supports. 
I hope that their series has helped the survival chances for these animals. I've certainly acquired a greater knowledge of the sheer number of species that are endangered. I think that Canon should be proud of this series, and I hope they continue it for another 30 years!



To see these ads and more similar-themed ones, check out more of our Canon Ads.

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