University of Oxford Researchers Linking Fashion and Conservation

A recent study out of the University of Oxford examines how including a small conservation contribution to leopard print sales could help save the species. The research team aimed to quantify public interest in leopard print fashion using social media metrics. They also found that fewer than 2% of media posts relating to leopard print had any connection to leopard conservation. One of the primary questions at hand is whether the mass-media interest in leopard print can actually be harnessed to support leopard conservation.

The research was led by Dr. Caroline Good from Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), who hopes the work “will be of interest to conservation NGOs looking for innovative marketing campaigns, as well as for-profit fashion brands and retailers looking to engage with consumers who are demanding social responsibility from their brands.”

Full story at University of Oxford