PETA Advertising Strategy
by Catherine Blewer
Recently I passed by a Peta ad in Time Square that read “this your sign to go vegan.” Going vegan has never been a serious consideration of mine but I thought the ad was clever and as alternative proteins become increasingly popular I wondered what that means for PETA. I couldn’t help but imagine them rejoicing as beyond burger reaches record sales and the market for alternative chicken becomes increasingly competitive. PETA is a household name and has been around since the 80’s. PETA’s mission states:
PETA opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview, and focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: in laboratories, in the food industry, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry. We also work on a variety of other issues, including the cruel killing of rodents, birds, and other animals who are often considered “pests” as well as cruelty to domesticated animals.
PETA works through public education, cruelty investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, special events, celebrity involvement, and protest campaigns.
On first impression, I think the terms “speciesism” and “human supremacist” were interesting choices to say the least. I also was surprised by the vast amount of issues they are addressing with all things animals and was intrigued by their ambitious solution to convert all meat eaters to vegetarians. Most of all I was curious about how they communicated this message.
The ads that I think are most effective are the ads that highlight the character and emotions of animals and draw similarities to human life:
Making the connection between what we eat and the realities of industry can strike compassion for their cause. Their celebrity partnerships are also effective working with stars like Kelly Cuoco, Michael Keaton, and Jermaine Dupri speaking on behalf of animal rights. Joaquin Phoenix was featured in one of their billboard ads again communicating animal life to be as important as human life.
However, some of PETA’s ads do not sit well and recently have been the center of controversy. One ad in question was a cartoon that pans through the wilderness featuring animals bent on one knee as a nod to Colin Kapernick. The ad ends with a frame of an eagle on one knee and the words “respect is a right for every living being” and a hashtag “end speciesism.” I am all for respecting nature and I do think humans have abused the natural order but not unsurprisingly this ad was poorly received.
This is a ridiculous ad for many reasons as it features both a snake and fish taking a knee which is anatomically impossible but it is also incredibly tone def. Peta was attempting to draw parallels between racism and the abuse of animals. While both causes are important, they are apples and oranges and the insertion of themselves into racial conversations was forced. Very “all species lives matter” energy. I wondered when their mission was changed to reflect this sentiment?
This is not the first time their ads have been banned. Another ad that was banned from being played at the Super Bowl was Veggie Lovers which featured bikini clad women mimicking the trope of hot women with hamburgers but instead with vegetables. PETA has really taken the “sex sells” idea and run with it creating campaigns that state “meat can cause impotence” and “rather go naked than wear fur.” After perusing their website it seems like making shocking statements and controversial ads is a part of their brand voice with an entire section dedicated to ads that were banned.
Other ads that were launched this year were specified based on location. In DC they launched their “Tearing each other apart” ad toying with polarizing political atmosphere and centralizing their cause.
In the south they launched their “thou shall kill’’ ads picturing Moses holding a bunch of carrots urging people to extend the message to include pigs, cows, and chickens.
I have to hand it to PETA, they keep things topical and targeted.
During times when there are so many urgent issues is this their way of sticking out? Is their messaging working? In 2020 they received 63 million dollars in donations but is that attributed to shocking messages or their universally appealing mission to prevent animal abuse? Their mission itself seems like it lacks some nuance in the realities of some communities being able to sacrifice meat as a whole. Some of their tactics seem like borderline propaganda like their old ad that resurfaced on twitter stating “got autism” with a campaign saying milk caused autism.
They also ran ads this year saying “Tofu never caused Covid.”
This again was criticized for being racially insensitive and exacerbating blame placed on Asian wet markets. PETA has undoubtedly done some really great work advocating for our voiceless furry friends but it seems by humanizing the animal narrative they have lost touch and compassion for the human experience as well. Some of their ads are very haphazard and seem tonally cumbersome for 2021. At what point will PETA’s shock value tactics alienate potential donors if it hasn’t already?
Sources:
Bowen, Alison. “Why PETA President Posed Nude, Hanging from Hook on Chicago Billboard.” Chicagotribune.com, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2018, www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-peta-billboard-bacon-fest-lifestyles-0419-20170419-s tory.html. “Financial Reports.” PETA, 15 Mar. 2021, www.peta.org/about-peta/learn-about-peta/financial-report/. Jackson, Jon. “Old PETA Campaign Claiming Links between Milk and Autism Resurfaces on Twitter.” Newsweek, Newsweek, 5 Jan. 2021, www.newsweek.com/peta-autism-twitter-ad-1559104. Landsverk, Gabby. “PETA’s Ad Campaign Blames Meat-Eating for the Coronavirus: ‘Tofu Never Caused a Pandemic’.” Insider, Insider, 12 Aug. 2020, www.insider.com/petas-new-ad-campaign-blames-meat-eaters-for-causing-pandemic-202 0–8. Pinarski, Phil. “PETA Ad ‘Pays Homage to Kaepernick’ by Having Animals Kneel, Rejected by NFL for Super Bowl.” CBS 42, CBS 42, 31 Jan. 2020, www.cbs42.com/news/national/peta-ad-pays-homage-to-kaepernick-by-having-animals-kn eel-rejected-by-nfl-for-super-bowl/. “‘Stop the Squeal’ Ads Hit D.C. Amid Biden Inauguration.” PETA, 22 Jan. 2021, www.peta.org/blog/dc-ad-blitz-biden-inauguration-stop-the-squeal/. “These PETA Billboard Ads Broke the Internet in 2019.” PETA, 20 Dec. 2019, www.peta.org/features/best-peta-billboard-ads-2019/.
