By Gerri L Elder in Animals & Habitats, Art & Design, Nature & Ecosystems

When an issue really matters, activists and environmental groups go a long way to get the message out and the point across.  Some of the most shocking and disturbing ads in recent years have come from talented creative design teams of these organizations.  Bold imagery is used to grab the public’s attention so that there is a captive audience as the message sinks in.

A Baby is a Baby

(images via: PETA2Daily)

In Canada, the annual hunt for baby seals culminates in the largest slaughter of marine mammals on Earth. The seals are usually clubbed to death or shot. The Canadian government allowed 330,000 harp seals to be brutally killed in 2008. It is legal for seal pups as young as 12 days old to be killed. Often they are still conscious when they are dragged across the ice with boat hooks. Many of the seal pups are skinned while still alive. Since there is no market for the flesh, the dead and dying seals are left behind to rot after being robbed of their skin.

Whaling Atrocities

(images via: osocio)

IFAW (Infernational Fund for Animal Welfare) produced these graphic ads to demonstrate the cruelty of commercial whaling. Although commercial whaling was banned wolrdwide in 1986, more than 30,000 whales have been killed since then, as whale hunting has continued in Japan, Norway and Iceland. IFAW currently leads a campaign to tell the Obama administration to renew U.S. leadership for whale protection.

Love the Skin You’re In

(images via: zimbio)

Alicia Silverstone, Eva Mendes, Amanda Beard and other celebrities decided to bear it all in this PETA ad campaign.  The focus of these ads was to promote the message that it is better to go nude than to wear the skin or fur of an animal.  Many animals used in the fur trade are skinned while still alive and left to suffer until they ultimately die.  The unique and sexy campaign went a long way towards raising public awareness about the horrific reality of the fur trade.

Global Responsibility

(images via: green-blog, blogspot)

These shocking ads were created to promote environmental awareness and responsibility, and also to sell Brita water filters.  The World Wildlife Federation used the startling fish-man image to make its point about the changes that are happening around us.  Brita used the bold images of a man and a woman with dirty oil spewing from their mouths to inform the public that millions of gallons of oil are used annually in the production of water bottles, and their product is a more environmentally sound choice.

Environmental Activism

(images via: chocolate.soy, animals-in-the-news)

In many cases, environmental causes are carried forward through activism and grass-roots movements.  Concerned citizens organize rallies and protests to fight animal cruelty and destruction of the environment.  Whether they are protesting deforestation, pollution or animal abuse, activists draw attention to the cause at hand.  This can propel the issue into the media where it may find a larger interest and gain the necessary strength to move forward in the fight.