By Clare Babbidge BBC News

Protesters and celebrities have teamed up for an all-night rally calling for fair trade. It is an example of how campaigners are increasingly trying different means in order to gain attention.

Trade justice campaigners held a candle-lit vigil

Animal costumes, flag-burning and the bare boldness of a naked protest have all been used recently to get various messages across.

During Friday's Wake Up to Trade Justice event, thousands of people gathered at London's Whitehall.

It included music, comedy and a candle-lit vigil as a "mark of respect" to people suffering and dying as a result of "unfair trade".

Tricia O'Rourke, of Christian Aid, said the 65 organisations in the Trade Justice Movement had created a "stronger voice" by joining together.

She said planning the overnight event had taken much "brainstorming".

'Generate interest'

"We can't just keep doing the same type of thing, in order to generate interest - we have to look at new ways of getting our message across and of bringing people together," she said.

Sometimes something more subtle can hit the right note and work very well Sarah Green Amnesty International Protest calls for trade justice Marathon run for Cuba men

The event helped cap a week of global events, which also saw a pillow fight in the City between activists wearing pyjamas and masks of world leaders, to highlight trade issues.

But with so many different organisations competing for space in the frantic media and busy people's minds, it seems they have to be increasingly creative to be heard.

Creating visual impact - with the hope of this leading to an emotional impact - is a key aim.

Earlier this month animal rights' campaigners donned stockings over their naked bodies and fake blood to stage a "graphic" protest against seal hunting.

Animal rights' activists depicted 'skinned seals' in one protest

However, Sarah Green, spokeswoman for campaigning veteran Amnesty International, believes creating a dramatic impact is not always essential.

"Sometimes something more subtle can hit the right note and work very well," she said.

"The vigil in London with candles and lots of people seeing the sunrise together could be quite spiritual and help people feel that this is an issue they really care about."

Chinese proverb

She explained that Amnesty International's founder Peter Benenson, who died in February, choose a candle covered in barbed wire as the symbol for the human rights' group.

There are protests every day in London and most of them go unreported Matt O'Connor Fathers 4 Justice

He chose it to represent a Chinese proverb that it "is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness". Ms Green said letter writing and now e-mail campaigns had been "at the heart" of the organisation's work.

"I think it is fair to say that Amnesty is the originator and the master of the letter-writing campaign.

"It was Peter Benenson's idea in 1961 and aims to tell those who think no-one sees, that the world is watching and people do know if human rights are being abused or if people are being kidnapped or held in prison," she said.

"Global appeals bring letters from all over the world - and are very effective."

During its 44-year history, the organisation has dealt with more than 45,000 cases globally.

A cage helped show Amnesty's opposition to anti-terror laws

She said Amnesty did also hold protests and sought to gain media interest by being visual, having a clear message and providing case studies.

To highlight a current Amnesty campaign, supporter David Nicholl will run Sunday's London Marathon dressed in an orange jumpsuit to raise the plight of Guantanamo Bay prisoners.

"It is also important to have a specific goal, and not something too woolly," she said.

Visual stunts

Fathers 4 Justice has taken its message into people's homes by grabbing media headlines with a series of high-profile stunts.

Matt O'Connor, founder of the fathers rights' group, believes humour and clarity have been key to its success.

"In a nutshell, I think our campaigns have been so successful because there is lot of humour, and there is the iconic theme people can identify with in the form of super-human characters," he said.

"We are the high wire act without a safety net."

He said groups had to "be creative" and evolve to raise awareness.

Superhero costumes have been used in Fathers 4 Justice stunts

"There are protests every day in London and most of them go unreported," he said.

"I think too many are too serious about it. Fathers 4 Justice is like a tragic comedy. There is plenty of tragedy there, but there is also comedy too, say in the absurdity of seeing Batman on Buckingham Palace."

He said some demonstrations, such as the mass anti-war demonstrations in London prior to the Iraq war, often proved ineffectual.

"Those demonstrations are very tightly policed," he said. "We prefer to catch police with their trousers round their ankles rather than with belts and braces in place."

But police have previously condemned the tactics used by the group and some members have faced charges.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman added: " There is no doubt publicity stunts can use valuable resources by taking police away from their normal day-to-day jobs."

Mr O'Connor added that at a charity fair lots of organisations had asked his group for advice on how to generate publicity.

"We might be seen as something of an A team for protests, but we're not available for hire," he said.