May06
PETA UK and the Advertising Standards Authority, Round 2
Posted at 11:52 AM | Permalink
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Comments (14)
Those wily British counterparts of mine just won’t stop pushing the envelope. I wrote last week with some pride about how their “Feeding Kids Meat Is Child Abuse” ad made the BBC’s top 10 most controversial ads list—well, according to The Guardian, they’re at it again! Apparently there have been complaints about the anti-KFC ad pictured below. Some nannies are worried (not kidding) that it “breaches the advertising code's stipulations on responsible advertising, decency and causing fear and distress.” A couple of points here: 1) I’ll admit that the prospect of KFC slicing up defenseless animals is both frightening and distressing, but surely that’s KFC’s fault, no? 2) As PETA President Ingrid Newkirk told the journalist who wrote the Guardian piece about this ad: "The cartoon image of Colonel Sanders killing a chicken on our leaflet is obviously a caricature - a comic. We cannot imagine that our leaflet would provoke fear in anyone unless the reader was a chicken." ‘Nuff said.
TAGGED:
kfc ads uk controversial
Comments
Is this the mature, educated and understanding advocacy that Bruce was discussing? Hmmmm. Just seems like a lazy and ineffective campaign.
Posted by: Maya, CVT | May 6, 2008 12:46 PM
If we hid all truths, this world would be even more horrific than it already is.
Good for you, Peta! :)
Posted by: HannaBanana | May 6, 2008 12:58 PM
Hmm.
Well yes it is distressing but it is the truth. Children see vulgar advertising on television all of the time. Axe spray anyone?Beer advertisments?Huge gory movie posters?Commercials are filled with highly suggestive material and half naked women undulating for the delight of men. This is no worse than sexually charged commercials or violent movie trailers played during all hours. I rarely see people complaining about those.Except for the important fact that this poster is meant to inspire compassionate change. If people can not truthfully tell their children where their food came from, or are disgusted by the image above they should not be meat eaters. People should be comfortable with what they are eating.
Posted by: Annalena | May 6, 2008 01:12 PM
I agree with you though Maya. I think classy campaigns would do a world of good. However showing the realities of heinous animal treatment is very expository for many people. Shock is in its own way effective in startling people out of complacency.I think this is much more relevant and purposeful than hiring celebrities to strike sexy poses.
Posted by: Annalena | May 6, 2008 01:46 PM
It's true, we need to expose the corruption and the cruelty - Boycott KFC Ireland!!!!!
Posted by: John Carmody | May 6, 2008 02:25 PM
Anna,
I could not have said it any better - you read my thoughts exactly !
Posted by: Joan | May 6, 2008 02:36 PM
Maya,
When we are speaking with individuals or giving presentations or doing other grassroots work, it is the time to be, as Bruce says, mature, educated, and understanding.
But the purpose of this campaign is to get media attention, because it is necessary to reach large numbers of people, and media attention is the only way to do so with PETA's limited budget.
There is no other way to reach enough people to pressure these companies to make changes. And even when being controversial, PETA does its best to handle every media campaign in a way that is mature, educated, and understanding.
Tactics like these are why PETA is the most successful animal rights organization in the world.
______________________
Everyone Else,
Incidentally, because PETA's budget is so limited (30,000,000 is not a lot when the goal is total animal liberation), we should all give monthly donations to ensure that PETA has consistent support.
You can give just 5 or 10 dollars a month! Less than most people spend on coffee!
The link to the monthly donation page is on my name. Please:
Posted by: Mark Devries | May 6, 2008 05:51 PM
Thank you Peta UK for having the nads to tell it like it is. The message is straightforward and honest, unlike the poultry ads that show hens all too happy to be someone's meal. How about truth in advertising?
As for inducing fear-please- like Ingrid said, only if you're the chicken.
Posted by: lynda downie | May 7, 2008 01:50 AM
Hi Mark -
I became a vegetarian when I was 15 and PETA changed my life. I lived in the back woods of New Hampshire and was laughed at by most people - so I am eternally grateful to PETA for being my only support system at the time.
But later on, as a shelter worker and vet nurse, people would straight up tell me that PETA gave them the impression that animal caregivers were hostile and violent. It hurt us big time.
On this blog I've seen a pedophile praised, horse manure dumped outside of a restaurant and people being assaulted with food. It's rude, immature and violent.
PETA should be controversial. You guys are clever enough to do that without violence, sexism or praising a child pornographer.
That said, I love you guys and I'm not trying to be a pain in the neck. Peace.
Posted by: Maya, CVT | May 7, 2008 12:10 PM
Hi Annalena -
I agree completely. I think that PETA's videos do a good job of showing that, in fact I'm always shocked even though I think I've seen it all.
It's just that campaigns and quick slogans leave so much room for misinterpretation - of course you and I get it, but the average person may look at it as in-your-face hostility. That drives people away.
Videos leave no room for misinterpretation. The animals don't make this stuff up. Proof is proof.
Peace, sister. I appreciate your respectful comment! ;)
Posted by: Maya, CVT | May 7, 2008 12:14 PM
I support this 100%.Children need to see what the world really is.They cant live in a fantasy world for the rest of their lives.Trust me reality will come in handy.
Posted by: Sydney | May 7, 2008 12:15 PM
Hello Maya
I think the ad is necessary to convey the horrors, fear and violent deaths that chickens endure daily. I would also ask that you try to be a lot more positive in your outlook when it comes to conveying this message to a largley ignorant and apathetic public. I am surprized sometimes that you continue to write on this blog when most of the times you write your antipathy for PETA and the work they do. Certainly PETA has done some serious blunders and there are things they do and say that I do not agree with but I make the effort to focus on the positive. Maybe you should consider doing the same.
Peace!
Posted by: Ana | May 7, 2008 02:51 PM
This picture very simply, tells it like it is.
And thats that!
Peace, For All Animals!
Posted by: Judith, Freedom Fighter for Animals | May 7, 2008 03:01 PM
Hi Ana!
Well, I would argue that the best leaders in American history made it a point of surrounding themselves by people who disagree with them.
I'm not saying I'm anyone important, not at all. I'm just a shmoe (spelling?) who leaves comments here.
However, they are just that: comments. This is the comment section. If Jack thinks I'm out of line, he is MORE than welcome to not post my comments. I'm serious about that.
Until then, I'm going to tell it like I see it. I am most certainly not with antipathy about PETA.
They are one of the few groups who stand up for my favorite creatures like lobsters, crabs, fish and reptiles who are so horribly tortured in this world.
But I will not support violence or sexism and will speak out against it every time until I'm silenced.
;)
Posted by: Maya, C.V.T. | May 8, 2008 08:01 PM