Belgian fashion influencers and GAIA raise awareness for lockdown dogs: dogs are not an accessory

Due to the lockdown, many Belgians impulsively bought and are still buying a dog without properly thinking it through. As a result, many dogs are now being dumped in animal shelters. To put a stop to this, GAIA (Global Action in the Interest of Animals) launches the #NotAnAccessory campaign together with the Belgian advertising agency FamousGrey and PR agency Famous Relations. To indicate that a dog is not for one season, Famous Relations activated leading Belgian fashion content creators to post a picture featuring their dog alongside today's fashion trends,accompanying the dog with a "not an accessory" tag. A clear message that dogs are not an impulse buy like clothes and accessories. The example of the content creators was adopted massively in a matter of days by dog lovers who helped to spread GAIA's message.

With the new #NotAnAccessory campaign FamousGrey, Famous Relations and GAIA, together with numerous influencers, want to make people aware of the great responsibility that comes with getting a pet. A campaign that proves to be very necessary in times of corona.

"Animals are not accessories that you buy quickly at the store," Ann De Greef, director of GAIA, clarifies. "Many people took in a cat, a dog or a rabbit during the first lockdown because they had a lot of time. Not long after, a lot of pets got dumped in animal shelters."

Virginie Morobé, a famous Belgian shoe designer, and her dog Tzuki kicked off the campaign on her Instagram page. By sharing a photo in which she tags not only her shoes but also her dog with @NotAnAccessory, she makes it clear that dogs are not a season accessory and calls upon dog owners to help spread the message.

"The baseline "My dog is not an accessory" has of course a double meaning for me. My business is making accessories, so I don't have to explain how important an accessory is to me. My passion lies in making shoes. With this campaign, I am underlining the fact that a dog is very important to me without compromising my love for accessories," explains Virginie Morobé. 

Thanks to her call for action, posts and stories popped up all over Instagram with the tag @NotAnAccessory. This content links to the Not An Accessory Instagram page. "#NotAnAccessory" is now also showing up on TikTok.

GAIA’s Instagram page and websitefeature tips for future dog owners on how to make the right decisions and how to recognise a bread breeder.

Press clippings

^{Het Nieuwsblad, 3/2/2021, Gaia and celebs want to prevent impulsive animal purchases with new campaign, https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20210203_94164609
​Flair,3/2/2021, #NotAnAccessory, the campaign that reminds us that an animal is not an accessory, https://www.flair.be/fr/lifestyle/notanaccessory-campagne-animal-gaia/
​HLN, 3/2/2021, ​ Celebs and influencers join campaign against impulse buying animals, ​ https://www.hln.be/showbizz/bv-s-en-influencers-scharen-zich-achter-campagne-tegen-impulsaankopen-dieren~a3890849/
​Het belang van Limburg, 3/2/2021, Gaia and celebs want to prevent impulsive animal purchases with new campaign, https://www.hbvl.be/cnt/dmf20210203_94164609}
​^{Gazet van Antwerpen, 3/2/2021, Gaia and celebs want to prevent impulsive animal purchases with new campaign, https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20210203_94164609}

CREDITS  

Client: Gaia Brussels 
​Client: Ann De Greef, Kim Vandenbroucke, Lysiane Menier 

Agency: FamousGrey 
​Creative Director: Peter Ampe 
​Creative team: An-Sofie Keulen, Steve Maes 
​Account Director: Olivia Naudts 
​Strategic Planner: Nicholas Pirard 

Head of Digital: Joachim François 
​Digital Strategist: Wies Dickens 
​Project Manager: Florian Hoffreumon 
​Social Media Manager: Sarah De Prez 
​Digital Designer: Sacha Lempereur   

PR: Famous Relations 
​Managing Director: Kathy Van Looy 
​PR manager: Astrid Mattelaer