Company Background
• Established in 1980 by Ingrid Newkirk and is dedicated to defending
the rights of animals
• “PETA operates under the simple principle that animals are not ours
to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment.”
• Non-profit charity based in Norfolk, Virginia that promotes fair
treatment of all animals and spreads awareness of animal abuse
• Focus their attention on four main areas where animals are abused
the most: on factory farms, in laboratories, in the clothing trade, and
in the entertainment industry.
• PETA has gained much attention for their racy, and oftentimes,
offensive campaigns that are meant to spread awareness about
mistreatment of animals and promote veganism.
Company Background
• One campaign that has been deemed especially
horrendous is the “Holocaust on Your Plate”
advertisements that were launched in Germany many
years ago. These ads depicted such things as Holocaust
victims lined up in concentration camps next to an image
of chickens in a coup with the headline: “When it comes
to animals, all people are Nazis.” This campaign was
quickly banned by the European Court of Human Rights
because of the outrage felt by actual Holocaust survivors
and other Jewish citizens.
2007
2011
2002
2009
Making the Ads
• Holly Madison’s Photo Shoot
“I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur”
• History of the Campaign
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Campaign was launched in 1991 with the help of The Go-Go’s
Idea for slogan came from Director of Campaigns, Dan Matthews
First ad featured Calvin Klein model, Christy Turlington (now 44)
Campaign ongoing and revamped several times since the 90’s
Several publicity stunts to gain attention of the media took place
throughout the campaign
• One example was when “random citizens” graffitied the offices of
major designers, resulting in meetings with Calvin Klein, Anne Klein,
and Donna Karen to stop using fur
• Rumors of the launch of a porn site featuring photos of animal
cruelty in 2012 and promoting veganism
Pro Argument for PETA
Criticism Evaluation
•Critic’s Credentials: Trip Gabriel, New York Times, head editor of
Style section
•Recency of Criticism: May 1, 1994
•Type of harm identified: Indirect harm (Creation of unhealthy
desires and social injustice)
•Objective reasoning used: Half Opinion/ Half Fact
• Opinion: turned it sexy and hip
• Fact: The list of companies who have stopped selling furs
•Critic’s view of the role of consumer: Active Consumers - We
can evaluate the campaigns and act on them
•Usefulness of criticism: Useful to PETA
Pro Argument for PETA
• New York Times, “Such a Nice Zealot”
• In support of Mr. Matthews, the director of international
campaigns and chief strategist
• Past: animal rights ads sought to shock and shame
• Now: Sugarcoat this grim topic with glam
• “The tired and frumpy anti-fur movement a make-over,
transforming it into the fashion industry's sexiest cause”
• Number 1 “hip cause”
• Designers who have banned furs: Giorgio Armani, Bill Blass,
Ralph Lauren, Isaac Mizrahi, Calvin Klein, and Todd Oldham
• Publicity stunts have led to the idea of fur being faux-pas
• Targeting the young, and it’s working
Con Argument Against PETA
Criticism Evaluation
•Critic’s credentials: Freelance writer and activist for Feminists for
Choice
•Recency of criticism: August 19, 2009
•Type of harm identified: Indirect; unhealthy desires and the
development of attitudes toward important issues
•Objective reasoning used: Opinion
• PETA gaining attention for wrong reasons and promoting
adoption of veganism for the wrong reasons
• “I’d Rather Go Naked” campaign is very degrading to women
•View of the role of consumer: Active
• Can choose to do what they want based on individual beliefs
•Usefulness of critique: useful
Con Argument Against PETA
• Feminists for Choice, “PETA’s Response to Feminist Criticism
Misses the Mark”
• Serena Freewymon, a freelance writer and female activist for
online periodical Feminists for Choice, is opposed to the
offensive “I’d Rather Go Naked” campaign.
• She features a letter in her article that was written to PETA by
one of their readers named David. His letter reads:
Dear PETA,
PLEASE STOP all the sexist ads that degrade and demean women. Women are
displayed 3/4 naked or more, ads with vile and suggestive catch phrases, again that
include mostly nude women. The most recent ad refers to women as “beached
whales. PETA is supposedly a progressive organization; so why then do so many of
its billboards-ads and media campaigns depict women in sexist-degrading and
offensive ways? you will get NO $$ from me until the sexism stops
Con Argument Against PETA
• Freewymon claims that they do depict men in some of their ads but it
does not excuse the fact that women were highly degraded in the “I’d
Rather Go Naked” campaign.
• The women that they pick for these ads are the stereotypical, media
created standard of beauty.
• They have been known to support events such as tofu wrestling on
college campuses to promote veganism. This kind of marketing
obviously targets young frat boys who more than likely are not going to
adopt a vegan lifestyle.
• They are trying to bring awareness to animal cruelty while
simultaneously trivializing the objectification of women.
• Finally, Serena declares that she is not against the use of smut but that,
“When I look at a PETA ad, I should be thinking about animals and
compassion. These are the reasons that people should go vegetarian –
because it’s the compassionate, right thing to do. Not because a Playboy
model told me to do it.”
Reaction from the agency
• “PETA Explains Why They Use Naked Women And Offensive Ads To
Sell Veganism”:
• Lindsay Rajt, Associate director of campaigns
• Don’t have millions and millions to spend like their opposition: have
to try harder
• Controversial and provocative campaigns get more publicity and
attention
• Memorable
• Draws people in
• Not trying to please everyone (focused on reach)
• “Anything that really gives people pause and makes them talk about
what they’ve seen, those definitely make a lasting impression”
• On feminist criticism: women choose to do it; a way to grab
attention; also ads with men
PETA’s Response / Our Evaluation
• Let the media have its way to gain any additional publicity
• On feminist/sexist issues: the co-founder considers herself a feminist
and has no qualms with the campaign
• Specific letter sent from patron in 2009 disapproving of the sexist ads
against women
• PETA’s answer (penned by CEO, Ingrid Newkirk):
• defended their actions; no apology of any kind given
• also defended the use of “nudity” in their ads; dismissed idea that
this was actually sexist
• Our view - Inappropriate
• Also, claimed they do not use this tactic in most of their ads
• PETA’s response to criticism could have been more appropriate
• Must at least take responsibility for showing these ads to passive
consumers
• These ads are meant to entertain and transform, instead of inform
Campaign Analysis
Source: CBS
• Banned Super Bowl ads: Anti-Milk, Veggie Love, Milk Gone Wild, KFC
Torture Camp, Meat Can Cause Impotence, Cruelty Doesn’t Fly, etc.
• Banned International ads: Pamela Anderson “All Animals Have the
Same Parts” banned in Montreal, “Holocaust on Your Plate” banned
in Germany, etc.
• I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur
• Controversy – objectification of women; sexualizing the cause
• Backlash from feminist & vegan organizations
Campaign Analysis cont.
• Effect of the Campaign
• Consistently grabs headlines; Celebrity “reach”
• Featured in major newspapers: The Wall Street Journal, The Los
Angeles Times, USA Today, The Washington Post
• Major magazines and television shows such as Us, People, and
Entertainment Tonight have been “inspired by the campaign to
do stories about the anti-fur movement”
• Current Creative Strategy
• Continue the “I’d Rather Go Naked Campaign” in relation to pop
culture (Khloe Kardashian, Wendy Williams)
• “Ink Not Mink” campaign with male athletes
• “Fur Trim Unattractive” (Joanna Krupa)
• “Boyfriend Went Vegan”
Product as Signifier
• Signifier: the form of a
sign; representations
within the ad
• The absence of clothing;
Sexuality
• Facial expression; Gesture
• Strategic placing of copy
• *No body copy relating to
PETA
Product as Signifier
• Positioning; Body gesture
• The absence of clothing
• Vulnerability & Weakness
Product as Signifier & Puns
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Positioning; Body gesture
The absence of clothing; Sexuality
The double meaning in “buns”
Strategic placing of the bunny
Product as Signifier
• Positioning; Body gesture
• The absence of clothing;
Sexuality
• The subway pole
• Strategic placing of copy
All 4 Print Ads
•Sex as a “referent system:”
always hinted at or referred to
in innuendo, double entendre,
or symbolism
•The signified: fighting against
animal cruelty; anti-fur
•Product as currency
• Transactional
communication
Discussion
• Write down the first 3 words that pop into your head when
you hear the word…
• Do those words relate to the cause PETA is promoting, or the
women in the ads?
• Whose side of the argument are you on, and why?
• Divide yourselves into 2 groups
• One side of the room: you are designing the next campaign
for PETA, and you support the current ad campaigns that
uses language with puns and sexualized imagery
• Other side of the room: you think the current ads for PETA
are morally wrong and want to design a new campaign for
PETA
• Which campaign would be more effective in promoting PETA’s
cause? And why?
Works Cited
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http://www.peta.org/about/faq/why-does-peta-sometimes-use-nudity-in-its-campaigns.aspx
http://www.businessinsider.com/peta-shocking-controversial-ads-2011-10?op=1
http://www.peta.org/about/learn-about-peta/history.aspx
http://feministsforchoice.com/petas-response-to-feminist-criticism-misses-the-mark.htm
http://community.feministing.com/2012/01/08/peta-the-greater-good-and-the-dispensable-woman/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2010/jan/21/peta-animal-rights-campaign
http://www.peta.org/action/rather-go-naked.aspx
http://jezebel.com/5453982/ingrid-newkirk-is-the-worst-person-in-the-world
http://www.blisstree.com/2012/03/13/food/peta-explains-selling-offensive-ads-naked-womenveganism-697/
http://www.thisveganlife.org/petas-tremendous-fail/
http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/22/naked-ambition-how-petas-strategy-of-nearly-nudeprotesting-pa/
http://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/01/style/such-a-nice-zealot.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/25/weekinreview/the-nation-gaining-ground-at-last-a-companytakes-peta-seriously.html
http://advocacyethicsanddesign.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/deckha-peta.pdf
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4303166,00.html
Williamson, Judith. Decoding Advertisements. Marion Boyar Publishers, NY. 1984.
Questions?