Don't cut the rain forest WWF

  This advert by WWF is an example of the use of the Consequences Template (Goldenberg, Mazursky, & Soloman, 1999).

  The tagline of the advert "Don't cut the rain forest" implores message recipients to consider, by the use of a metaphor, that deforestation to wildlife is akin to cutting veins which support human life. This metaphor is created by making veins resemble the branches in which a parrot sits. Thus, by making salient the consequences of human activity (deforestation), and comparing such activity to cutting a mechanism by which our own life is supported, message recipients are more likely to process the message content. Indeed, McQuarrie & Phillips (2005) found participants were most persuaded when a visual metaphor was used, as opposed to a straight forward message or a verbal metaphor.

Goldenberg, J., Mazursky, D., & Solomon, S. (1999). The fundamental templates of quality ads. Marketing Science, 18, 333-351.

McQuarrie, E. F., & Phillips, B. J. (2005). Indirect persuasion in advertising: How consumers process metaphors presented in pictures and words. Journal of Advertising, 34, 7-20.