unFURled (2017-2018)
It all started in Old Crow with a couple of friends talking about the trapping season over a bowl of caribou stew. The low price of furs at the auction house was frustrating trappers, so we started thinking about what we could do to make Yukoners want to wear fur again. We need to start celebrating our fur industry, someone said. So we decided to throw a party…
Photo by Archbould Photography
Client
Yukon Trappers Association, North Yukon Renewable Resources Council
Project brief
Develop a market-driven public engagement and education campaign about the science, history and importance of trapping furbearers in Yukon to increase awareness of the local fur industry, spark demand for this sustainable product and get Yukoners to wear fur with pride.
Target audience
We held focus groups to identify our audience and refine our understanding of common values, tastes and purchasing preferences. From there, we developed audience personas to inform every part of our communication and marketing strategy.
Deliverables
Branding and communications plan, design and delivery of a six-month engagement and communications strategy, partnership and sponsorship development, event planning and execution, sales and marketplace.
STRATEGY & Story
Initially we appealed to the values and tastes of local Yukoners by delivering immersive educational experiences without explicitly soliciting sales. Sharing stories and lifestyles of trappers, historic timelines, economic trends, understanding fur handling and trapping, policy that relates to Yukon First Nation and renewable resource councils -- all packaged with narrative elements and a visual identity that felt welcoming and informative. As a result, our audience became engaged and passionate supporters of our one-day local, sustainable wild fur marketplace.
Results
18 educational events with 1,000+ participants
Three-month art installation
23 earned media stories
One-day marketplace with more than 1,500 visitors and $60,000+ in fur sales
Sold out “Fur Ball” event celebration
Project Team
Kelly Milner: Producer, Strategic Development, Creative Development, Partnerships, Spokesperson
Kelly Proudfoot: Strategic Development, Partnerships, Event Coordination
Misha Donohoe: Creative Development, Communications Strategy, Branding, Design, Experiential Learning, Event Installation
Lisa Preto: Creative Development, Education Lead, Community Liaison, Marketplace Lead, Event Installation
Cathie Archbould: Photography and Communications
Leighann Chalykoff: Communications
Christine Prescott: Fur Boutique and Sales Coordinator
