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Press release May 1, 2007

Design Against Fur 2007 "Fashion Victims" Themed Poster Contest: Student Winners, Professors and Judges Celebrated
US Awards Dinner Reception
Tuesday May 1, 2007
5:30-8:30PM
Candle 79
154 East 79th Street
BY INVITATION ONLY

New York, NY (May 1, 2007)—The theme of this year's Design Against Fur 2007 (DAF) International Poster Contest was "Fashion Victims". In the U.S., over two hundred college students submitted posters. The contest is presented by the Fur Free Alliance (FFA) which includes the Animal Protection Institute (API), The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). College students from around the world are united in one cause—to design a poster representative of the perils of the fur industry and the commitment to the protection of animals, while nourishing and promoting creative and compassionate expression. Over 6,000 students have participated worldwide this year.

The contest is open to all university students of fashion, design, fine arts, advertising, marketing, graphic design multi-media, and other disciplines to be judged by a group of celebrated individuals in the design and advertising fields. This year's judges for the United States are: Mickey Boardman, Austin Brown, David Carson, Mary Gehlhar, Teressa Izzi, Paula Jaworski, Patrick McDonnell, Todd Oldham and Wayne Pacelle. The first place-winner will receive US $1,000, second place US $500, and third place US $250. Certificates will be awarded to 4 Special Judges Recognition winners and 17 Honorable Mentions. The finalists will also be automatically entered into the International Competition where the Grand Prize Winner will be announced and receive US $2,500. In addition, these top winning posters will be entered into an online vote for the People's Choice Award and a US $1,000 prize. Posters will be considered for campaign use by any of the members of the FFA.

Danielle Nastri, from Florida Atlantic University, is our First Place Winner. Nastri told us that her, "design process begins by eliminating the obvious, something that Tammy [Tammy Knipp is Nastri's professor] has taught me over the years. And I really thought that the obvious thing to do would be to portray the animal as the victim, the Fashion Victim. I wanted to turn that around and make the person wearing the fur the Fashion Victim. I used the font IMPACT for my design because I wanted to do just that, and in my verbiage I am daring the viewer to admit to wearing fur by raising their hand, and by doing so they reveal that they, while not killing these poor animals themselves, they have the blood of these animals on their hands as well, just by wearing and purchasing the fur, they are guilty too. The simplicity of the design and layout adds to the overall poster"

Kim Quinn, our Second Place Winner from the Tyler School of Art, Temple University states, "As a vegetarian and animal rights activist, doing something that might change someone's thinking, or possibly bring to light an issue they were not aware of is important. When I was designing my poster, I was thinking about the detachment from a living creature to a piece of clothing. People tend to ignore what they don't see first hand, so I was hoping to make a statement reminding people that the piece of fur they are wearing came from a breathing animal that feels pain the same way we do."

Kelly Holohan, Quinn's professor at the Tyler School of Art, Temple University, states that, "This is the third year that Tyler has participated in the Design Against Fur poster competition. We continue to do so because the message is so important. Projects like Design Against Fur that do more than sell a product or service, but promote messages that, serve a greater good are exactly what our curriculum stresses. As an educator and design leader in the Philadelphia community, I want to instill in our students that design is a powerful tool that they can use to make a difference in the world. Using their own voice for an animal that does not have one is one way we can make design matter."

Maren Guse, winner of the Todd Oldham Award for Creativity, from Syracuse University, states, "I originally wanted to find a way to use photography rather than graphic design alone in creating my poster. I wasn't sure how anyone else would feel about it, but I thought that the phrase "wear your own fur" with a photograph of a hairy man would be pretty funny and different from most of the other posters. I was nervous when I presented my poster in class, I wasn't sure how my peers and professors would react, but to my surprise, they loved it!"

Cecile Cano, from Florida Atlantic University, winner of the David Carson Award for Original Design Approach, let us know that, "When I first heard about the Design Against Fur Competition, I immediately knew it was something I wanted to be part of. I have so much compassion for animals; I've always had this instinctual nature to take care of them. At one point, I've even considered becoming a vet, but I knew I couldn't stand to see an animal in pain. This idea is the basis of my poster design. I incorporated the word "fur" in suffering because I wanted to remind people of the inhumane suffering that takes place to produce fur products. The idea was to make a direct link between fur and suffering by using a conceptual message than typical imagery. I wanted to stay away from the "obvious" (as Tammy calls it) [Tammy Knipp is Cano's professor] which is anything that people typically associate with anti-fur posters (red blood, animals, etc). I believe I was successful in creating a poster that had a simple, straightforward message that clearly reminded people of the repercussions of buying and wearing fur."

Ainslie Willock, International Director of DAF states, "This is the golden age for the power of design and communication in influencing our relationship with animals. These compassionate students and professors have the ability, in spades, to persuade consumers to treat wildlife with respect rather than as a commodity for sale. Students have used their considerable talent to ask consumers not to buy or wear fur. They're all winners in my mind."

For more information on DAF visit www.inFURmation.com or DesignAgainstFur.com. Depending on availability, we are now scheduling interviews with several of the participating students, judges and spokespersons for FFA and HSUS. For press inquiries and to schedule an interview, please contact Ainslie Willock at 416-922-4554 or email ainsliewillock@hotmail.com or contact Kathy Kessler at 301-258-3145 bus or 301-793-8339 cell or email kkessler@hsus.org.

ABOUT THE FUR FREE ALLIANCE
DAF 2007 is a campaign of the Fur Free Alliance (FFA), an international coalition of 35 leading humane and conservation organizations representing tens of millions of supporters worldwide. To learn more about FFA visit www.inFURmation.com. FFA members who are participating in the 2007 competition in the United States are:

Animal Protection Institute Founded in 1968, the Animal Protection Institute (API) is a national animal advocacy nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to advocate for the protection of animals from cruelty and exploitation. API's primary campaign areas currently include animals used in entertainment, captive exotic animals, companion animals, compassionate consumerism, farmed animals, and wildlife protection. api4animals.org and BanCruelTraps.com.

The Humane Society of the United States The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization representing more than 9.5 million members and constituents. The non-profit organization is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy, and fieldwork. The group is based in Washington and has numerous field representatives across the country. hsus.org.

World Society for the Protection of Animals WSPA works with more than 449 member organizations to raise the standards of animal welfare throughout the world. They envision a world in which the welfare of animals is understood and respected by everyone, and protected by effective legislation. Through their collaborative projects WSPA is Campaigning Against Cruelty by exposing animal abuse and enforcing stronger laws; their Animal Rescue teams are working to save abandoned or neglected animals or those stricken by disasters; and by Changing Hearts and Minds amongst people living and working with animals, WSPA is forging a safer future for all animals. wspa-americas.org.

2007 DESIGN AGAINST FUR THEME "Fashion Victims"

1st place

2nd place	3rd place

Todd Oldham Award for Creativity	David Carson Award for Original Design Approach

For more information about past years DAF competitions and designs visit inFURmation.com

CONTACT
Ainslie Willock
Design Against Fur, International Director
416-922-4554
ainsliewillock@hotmail.com

Kathy Kessler
Design Against Fur, U.S. Director
HSUS
301-793-8339 cell
kkessler@hsus.org

This site is operated on behalf of the Fur Free Alliance by the Humane Society of the United States.

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