There are a lot of people in the world, perhaps even too many. Some places are so remote, conditions so extreme, or so over-populated, that it’s difficult for that number of people to live comfortably. On the other side of the coin, there are more than a couple of people who do live comfortably. Bully for them. The comfortable do their bit, generally. They realise they’re really rather fortunate at being able to ride the tube to work, watch The X-Factor, and eat almost every single day, and so do what they can. There’s loads of Robin Hood charities around, aiding the rich in helping the poor. Because there are so many people needing help, there’s a huge amount of charities set up to provide that help. But what makes one charity better than any other? Both need help. What makes disabled children more deserving than Breast Cancer sufferers? Charity provides a product, just like any other business profit or non-profit. Even though consumers want to buy that product, they’re still required to pit themselves against eachother, market themselves as best they can, all in the interest of a bigger market share.

One of the problems today’s world is forced to endure is the extinction of many of its vital species. The Asian elephant is one species, facing such extinction from wild habitats. But within the fierce competition of human-based charities, how does one designed to aid Elephants generate any help from a neighbouring species? The answer... Marketing. With so many people wanting money, it’s now become useless to simply hold out a hand and ask for it. You have to get the word out, get people interested, and give them something for free, that doesn’t cost you anything either. In order to spread the wealth, you need to spread the cost.

‘Elephant Family is a small but hugely ambitious charity working to save the Asian elephant from extinction in the wild. Registered in 2002, Elephant Family has developed into a lean and focused force for the endangered Asian elephant. Acutely aware of overcrowding in the charity sector, we exist out of urgent necessity due to a serious lack of investment and attention going into elephant conservation.

Elephant Parade represents the greatest opportunity to date to raise funds and awareness for our cause. Elephant Parade is a social enterprise founded by father and son Mike and Marc Spits. Through the exhibitions, they aim to raise support for the endangered Asian elephant, with benefits of Elephant Parade being donated to Elephant Family.’

Elephant Family - 2010

In an effort to give your pocket change more of an incentive than ‘it’s for charity’, there needs to be a buzz around the campaign, something to enjoy and to feel good about, the English charity Elephant Family have created ‘Elephant Parade London 2010’. They’ve convinced 258 artists, designers, and generally famous/creative people to paint an elephant each in some way, rounded them all up, and planted them in various positions around the City. They’ve been roaming the ex-countryside for the past few months, and will be around for one more week until they all get auctioned off on the 3rd July.

You’ve got to applaud this type of charity event, which makes it just as easy to raise funds for the 17 charitable organisations benefiting from the parade as it is to raise awareness for the problem in general. It’s a simple way of making the problem relevant to the public. Elephants are beautiful creatures (not mentioning any of their other [I’m sure winning] qualities), shown by how pretty (most of) these designer creations are. Downloading the map of elephant positions, along with the details of elephant name, precise position, and designer’s name, then using them to hunt for as many as you can find. Taking pictures, challenging yourself to find them all, or simply taking a look at the one or two with funny names, is an event worthy of anyone’s schedule, no matter what your usual interests may be. Because come the 4th July, when they’re removed to take up residence with their new winning bidding owners, all the elephants will be gone, and you won’t be able to see them any more. A suitable metaphor for the problem itself if ever there was one.

Of course, if you’ve got the money burning a hole in your back pocket (£75 just for an auction ticket, then probably quite a few thousand to win an actual elephant), your urban safari might take more of a window-shopping feel than the rest of us. Find one you like the look of, and put your money where your trunk is, and you can save the life of at least one of these beauties. And for those of us without Family Saloon cash swanning around our bottomless wallets? We can still do ours by heading to the Elephant Parade area of Selfridges, and going home with our own miniature model for £30 upwards, coax it on to a mantelpiece or bookcase and continue to enjoy the special animal’s original beauty forever more.