Global socially-led creative agency We Are Social in France has teamed up with the animal protection organization One Voice to unveil an innovative initiative known as The Memorial. This immersive experience, crafted within the popular gaming universe of Minecraft, seeks to shed light on the staggering number of animals subjected to laboratory testing each year.
The Memorial Experience
Set against the backdrop of one of the world’s most beloved video games, The Memorial transforms the serious issue of animal testing into an engaging and interactive educational journey. Players are invited to delve into the lives of animals used in scientific research while exploring existing alternatives that can mitigate their suffering.
In France alone, over two million animals—including mice, rats, fish, birds, dogs, cats, horses, and primates—are utilized in laboratory testing annually. Through this initiative, One Voice aims to illuminate the vast scale of animal testing, particularly targeting younger audiences who increasingly engage with social issues through gaming platforms.
The Memorial guides players through a thoughtfully designed landscape filled with trees and commemorative monuments dedicated to various species impacted by laboratory testing. Visitors can embark on educational quests and interact with non-player characters (NPCs) that narrate the poignant stories of individual animals.
As a living memorial, the experience is dynamic and evolves over time. A real-time counter located in the central square tracks the number of animals used in laboratory testing, while new memorials are added daily to reflect the ongoing total.
In addition to highlighting the extent of animal testing, The Memorial introduces players to scientific alternatives that could potentially reduce or replace the reliance on animals in research.
By integrating this campaign into Minecraft, We Are Social has successfully transformed a globally recognized gaming platform into a venue for education, reflection, and awareness. Players can uncover the narratives of Charlie, a beagle, Tiko, a young lemur, and other animals whose experiences poignantly illustrate the harsh realities of laboratory testing.
This launch comes at a pivotal moment, as policymakers across Europe are reassessing the role of animal testing. Earlier this year, the European Parliament approved legislation that will ban animal testing for detergents starting in July 2029 and has outlined a roadmap to progressively phase out remaining animal testing requirements under EU chemicals regulations.
The Memorial is now available for exploration at: le-memorial-des-animaux-de-labo.fr
Source: We Are Social
Awareness, Awareness Campaign, Campaign, Marketing, Minecraft, One Voice, The Memorial, We Are Social, We Are Social France
