“Rhino horn is sometimes ground to a powder, mixed with water and drunk. Rhino horn is made of keratin, like fingernails. Yummy!” (Natasha Loder). The product is a symbol of health and authority. People often buy it as gifts to one another. However, the high demand for such product creates a poaching crisis in South Africa.

The market for rhino horn has put the species in great danger. 668 rhinos were killed in 2012. Rhinos grow so slowly that such production cannot satisfy the people’s demand. Ironically, when legal trade for the product is banned, it does not reduce producers’ incentive to supply. This is because of the black market, where consumers are willing to pay more for the product.

A solution approached through spreading fear and uncertainty in the media, that consuming rhino horn is poisonous and can cause serious illness. Consumers are more likely to reduce the risk of getting sick, which lowers the demand for rhino horn. The media is a powerful source for products’ image and brand image. The government’s attack on value proposition wiped out consumer’s demand towards such market.