First of all, let me just tell you that it pains me to give more publicity to PETA. But this is just something that has to be said.
Controversial marketing campaigns have become a common occurrence in our age. There is no better way to attract attention to your brand or cause than to make a controversial statement and watch it go viral.
Just weeks later, people remember the brand but forget the controversy. A very nifty tactic to make sure the brand name sticks in the consumers’ mind even if it means ignoring every single strand of ethics in your soul.
PETA has taken it a bit too far by insulting a great man on his birthday. A great man who introduced children and adults alike to the many wonders of the Animal Kingdom. A man who taught us that spiders are just as afraid of us as we are of them. He taught me not to fear snakes but instead to have a healthy respect for them and their habitats. That man was none other than the legendary Australian conservationist and TV host Steve Irwin.
On Feb 22nd, Google released a doodle celebrating the life of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin. http://www.google.com/doodles/steve-irwins-57th-birthday
PETA took this opportunity to put out this tweet:
#SteveIrwin was killed while harassing a ray; he dangled his baby while feeding a crocodile & wrestled wild animals who were minding their own business. Today’s #GoogleDoodle sends a dangerous, fawning message. Wild animals are entitled to be left alone in their natural habitats. https://t.co/9JfJiBhGLw
— PETA (@peta) February 22, 2019
Needless to say, the outrage was global and immediate.
Whoever changed the wiki page is a damn genius pic.twitter.com/yjMW1X1zyN
— Jessica (@itsjessicawoot) February 24, 2019
This is not the first time though:
- PETA used the death of Tim McLean, a victim of cannibalism, to run a very controversial newspaper ad about animal consumption.
- PETA activists routinely crash fashion shows and throw red paint of models wearing fur, even though it was fake fur. Talk about militant activism.
- Who can forget PETA using a bloody and gruesome image of a lamb in its campaign against wool? Here is a well-written take down on the topic.
All of this begs the question; exactly how much does PETA spend to save animals? Answers vary from “very little” to “nobody knows.”
What’s worse is PETA’s stance on euthanizing animals that could easily have been given to people more than willing to take care of them.
“Animals are not ours”, they say. They even justify it at https://www.peta.org/blog/euthanize/
PETA does not believe in pet ownership. They’d rather kill pets than find new owners for them.
PETA also openly lends support to semi-terrorist organizations like Animal Liberation Front.
PETA has managed to get society talking about the way we treat animals, which is a good thing. But their controversy focussed marketing has to stop. They have tarnished the image of animal rights groups everywhere with their militant activism.
Please, support your local rescue shelter, Humane society or ASPCA.
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