Published: September 25, 2007 11:02 pm      

PETA’s message gets lost in latest ad campaign - Jason Smith

I love animals. When I was growing up, my family always had a dog and at least one cat in the house.

Although I feel that animal-rights advocates, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, sometimes take their agenda too far, I can certainly appreciate their dedication to ensuring humane treatment of our four-legged friends.

However, PETA’s latest ad campaign has me a bit confused. In one television spot, actress and PETA supporter, Alicia Silverstone, emerges nude from a pool, talking about her life as a vegetarian.

Certainly, Silverstone is a beautiful woman, and she’s apparently proud of the impact her food choice has had on her appearance. I have friends and family who have adopted a vegetarian diet and who, like Silverstone, can attest to its benefits.

But, at the risk of overstating the obvious, I have to ask: What does a naked woman in a pool have to do with vegetarianism, or with treating animals humanely?

Granted, employing such measures is nothing new in the advertising world. As the old saying goes, “sex sells,” whether we agree with it or not. But seeing Silverstone naked in a pool is probably not going to stop anyone from eating a ribeye steak -- if they really want to.

PETA spokesperson Lisa Lange recently told FOX News’ Bill O’Reilly that the Silverstone ad is “sexy” and “attractive.” She also justified the ad’s content by saying their web site had experienced a lot of traffic because of the ad.

Although the ad had been scheduled to run in Houston last week, it never aired, due to opposition to its nude content.

Another new PETA commercial shows model Dita Von Teese scantily-clad in fishnet stockings and stiletto heels. In the ad, she portrays the role of a teacher and encourages people to spay and neuter their pets. In the commercial, she also promotes the practice of adopting pets from local animal shelters.

Again, Von Teese is relaying a positive message on behalf of PETA. However, I believe that, in both of the aforementioned cases, the message gets lost in the medium being used.

Through these types of ads, PETA has sacrificed the integrity of its position on certain issues, in favor of appealing to the lowest common denominator.

I don’t get it. Does PETA not believe its message is powerful enough to reach people without resorting to such tactics?

It’s a bit ironic, to me, that an organization whose purpose is to promote the ethical treatment of animals apparently has no problem parading people around like pieces of meat.



Jason A. Smith covers crime and courts for the Henry Daily Herald. He can be reached at (770) 957-9161 or via e-mail at jsmith@henryherald.com.