Elepop - an immersive popup experience - is designed to encourage everyone to become an ambassador for elephant protection through the power of social media and connection.
Earlier this year, the US office was excited to be approached by ELEPOP with a concept and opportunity to be part of an initiative that was fun, unique and significant. ELEPOP is a traveling immersive experience designed to educate and encourage everyone to become an ambassador for elephant conservation and protection. They believe the power of change lies with their visitors and that the influence of social media, connection, and conversation can impact wildlife conservation for the better.
Located in the heart of downtown NYC, along a line of pop-up gallery spaces on Canal Street, ELEPOP stands out to pedestrians with its cute pastel elephant logo, elaborate installations and welcoming ambiance. ELEPOP proudly partnered with Magic Lamp Art Lab, a multimedia interactive art technology development and creation company who worked on numerous installations for the pop-up in collaboration with the ELEPOP team. When you first walk in, you are greeted by a wall of flowers and a large hanging honeycomb, which signifies how farmers in local communities have started to use bees to scare off elephants eating their crops rather than harming them. Each installation has meaning and education behind it, waiting for guests to learn and become ambassadors for these gentle giants.
One of the main installations features a large cage filled with money and jewels next to a neon “Out of Fashion” sign (pictured above). These two pieces bring awareness to and tell the story of the 20,000 African elephant annual deaths caused by poaching for the ivory trade. At the current rate of population decline, elephants run the risk of becoming extinct within 10 to 20 years unless organizations and individuals actively work against this cruel practice.
Founder, Song Zhao (pictured left above), got her inspiration for ELEPOP through her years of study and personal experience. She says “I have seen the trend for pop-ups and the kind of excitement that they create for consumers. There is so much visibility and opportunity to leverage that excitement into positive influence and impact. Everyday people want to do good and they also want to share their experiences. I’ve always loved elephants because of how close they are to humans and wanted to help protect them. When putting this pop-up together, I knew that I wanted to work with an organization that works to improve the lives of elephants and educates the public on elephant initiatives, and I’m thrilled to donate a portion of the proceeds to World Animal Protection.”
On Thursday, April 25, we had an exclusive sneak peek at the gallery alongside media publications, influencers and a special celebrity guest, Fabolous. Outlets, such as Time Out New York, CBS, Richard Magazine and many more have highlighted this unique pop-up and garnered so much traction that early bird tickets sold out before the official opening. We were invited by ELEPOP to spend the day on site for the sneak peek to greet attendees and talk about our elephant protection work, campaign highlights and overall mission to help animals around the world.
Throughout the gallery, World Animal Protection’s logos are adorned to remind visitors that they are giving back to animals through their gallery visit. 10% of ticket sale proceeds goes to supporting our mission to protect animals, including elephants, around the globe. You can find ELEPOP in NYC, DC, Miami and select international cities in the upcoming months.
Pictured above: World Animal Protection US staff, Lena Aahlby (Global Head of Programs) and ELEPOP Founder and PR Manager
We at World Animal Protection urge you to become an ambassador for all animals in addition to elephants. Check out ELEPOP’s website to purchase tickets.