Poaching has reduced the number of wild tigers in the world to less than 5,000. The fact that wild tigers are in danger of extinction is little known in Japan, one of the largest markets for poached tigers. In order to communicate this fact widely to the Japanese public, we focused on one of the most popular sports in Japan, baseball, and a professional baseball team, Hanshin Tigers, together with the team’s high-profile manager, Mr. Okada, to support the Tiger Conservation Fund of the Japan Wildlife Conservation Society. Hanshin Tigers, although one of the most popular teams, had never been first ranked in regards to spectator turnout.

The campaign linked the baseball team with the JWCS Tiger Conservation Fund and created a mechanism whereby one poaching patrol kit was sent to India every time Hanshin Tigers won a game. Thus, the campaign succeeded in adding 240 tiger protection rangers while also making an effective appeal for the JWCS Tiger Conservation activities, not just among Hanshin Tigers fans but also among baseball fans throughout the country. At the same time, the Hanshin Tigers became the most popular baseball team in Japan. When the campaign became well known in 2008, we conducted an event called Tiger Conservation Day at the Tigers Home Ground, on the 27th of August 2008.

The goal was to inform the Japanese public widely of the fact that wild tigers are in danger of extinction, using the limited budget of the JWCS Tiger Conservation Fund. At the same time, to make Hanshin Tigers the most popular baseball team in Japan.

A unique mechanism was created at the beginning of the baseball season whereby one poaching patrol kit was sent to India for every game that Hanshin Tigers won. When the campaign became well known in 2008, we conducted an event called Tiger Conservation Day. An NGO representative was invited from India to attend the game opening ceremony. Posters, leaflets, and images projected on the back screen were used to turn the entire stadium into a medium for our appeal on behalf of the Tiger Conservation Fund.In order to maximize the publicity benefits of this campaign, we asked the Hanshin Tigers manager for his cooperation. We created interest through the catchphrase, “The Tigers manager is helping to protect tigers”. This created a buzz via blogs, viral communications and the mass media. By getting the Hanshin Tigers manager to work with us, we were also able to win the cooperation of the team.

The event provided JWCS Tiger Conservation Fund with an opportunity to make an effective appeal for the protection of wild tigers to an audience of 50,000 spectators. Through over 100 exposures in mass media, including magazines, newspapers, TV programs, and web sites, JWCS was able to effectively communicate its message for the Tiger Conservation Fund not just to the Hanshin Tigers fans but to all baseball fans in Japan. We were able to add 240 new tiger conservation rangers, while also helping Hanshin Tigers to achieve the highest number of spectators.

In order to maximize the publicity benefits, we asked the Hanshin Tigers manager for his cooperation. Interest was generated through the catchphrase 'The Tigers manager is helping to protect tigers’. This created a buzz via blogs, viral communications and the mass media. With the support of Mr. Okada, we were also able to win the cooperation of the team. We made a promise to the public that for every game the Hanshin Tigers won, a poaching patrol kit would be sent to India.

Following from the success of this campaign, a specific event, ‘Tiger Conservation Day’ was held in 2008 at a match supported by a variety of printed media (posters, leaflets etc) and branding at the stadium, along with special guests such as an NGO representative from India. Through this event, we were able to generate awareness and interest in the plight of tigers, as well as see a spike in the popularity of the team.

Japan is one of the largest markets for poached tigers, but most people in Japan are unaware of the fact that wild tigers are in danger of extinction. At the same time, Japanese baseball team Hanshin Tigers, the country’s oldest, and the one with the most enthusiastic fans, wanted to become the most popular team.