On Birthdays, Subway Ads Say "Hearts Always Together"
Fans supporting the giant panda Fubao placed a full-page advertisement in The New York Times on the 16th (local time). Through this, they demanded improved treatment for Fubao worldwide.
The DC Inside 'Bao Family Gallery' announced on the 15th that they had placed an advertisement in The New York Times highlighting the unsuitable living conditions at the Xianshuping base in China where Fubao resides, and the need for better treatment of Fubao. They explained the purpose of the advertisement, saying, "We wanted to inform overseas audiences about Fubao’s current condition and the treatment of pandas in China, and to convey the urgency of improvement."
The slogan of this advertisement is "I need a safe and humane living environment in Xianshuping, China." The ad depicts Fubao in Xianshuping, where there are no comfortable trees to climb and rest on, and the only trees are covered with acrylic panels. Fubao is shown looking at a tree, recalling resting on a zelkova tree at Everland in Yongin in the past.
The advertisement was funded by many netizens who cherish Fubao, led by the Bao Family Gallery. According to the Bao Family Gallery, they raised over 150 million KRW in total, including this New York Times advertisement and previous advertisements in New York Times Square.
Furthermore, the Bao Family Gallery demanded in the advertisement: ▲ clear and prompt feedback from the Xianshuping base regarding Fubao’s health and living environment ▲ a tall and sturdy tree for Fubao to rest comfortably, like the pandas in other enclosures at Xianshuping ▲ the cement tree-shaped platform is hot in summer and has wide gaps where Fubao’s feet often slip, causing frequent falls that could lead to injuries ▲ a dense safety net (safety wall) is needed in Fubao’s enclosure to prevent visitors from easily dropping objects ▲ a 24-hour live camera is required to monitor Fubao’s safety (other pandas at Xianshuping have cameras) ▲ since pandas are vulnerable to diseases transmitted by humans, unauthorized persons should not be allowed near or to touch Fubao ▲ the Xianshuping base should prioritize improving Fubao’s environment over merely pursuing profits from Fubao. The advertisement emphasized the urgency of improving Fubao’s treatment.
There have been previous advertisements by Fubao fan cafes. An organization called 'Fubao Gallery' gifted fans a ‘subway advertisement’ for Fubao’s birthday. This advertisement, featuring Fubao wearing a captain’s hat at sea along with the phrase ‘HAPPY FU DAY, 200720,’ was displayed on a large electronic billboard in the corridor towards the Airport Railroad and Gyeongui Line at Hongdae Entrance Station in Seoul from the 1st of last month until the 4th of the following month.
In May, an advertisement was displayed on the I LOVE NY Times Square billboard in New York, and in June, advertisements appeared on the Nasdaq and Midtown Financial billboards on Main Street in Times Square, New York.
After returning to China, suspicions arose last month regarding abuse and exploitation for entertainment purposes, due to a mole on Fubao’s forehead and hair loss on the back of the neck. In response, the Bao Family Gallery held a truck protest at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China and placed advertisements on large billboards in New York Times Square to request improvements in Fubao’s treatment conditions.
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