PETA’s “Save the Whales” Billboard
The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) are generally known for their racy advertising. (See “PETA: Humanizing Animals, Animalizing Humans”) And now, they’ve launched a new campaign considered by many to be “fat-shaming.”
The new “Save the Whales” campaign made it’s debut a few weeks ago in Jacksonville, Florida.
A woman named Victoria was headed to the beach with her family, when they all caught a glimpse of the ad. “It really had made me so embarrassed, so self conscious and so ashamed about my weight,” she said, “that I dropped off my family at the oceanfront and left to go home, making the excuse that I wasn’t feeling well.” [1]
Despite many people like Victoria speaking up in protest, PETA remains unapologetic:
“[This billboard] reminds people who are struggling to lose weight — and who want to have enough energy to chase a beach ball — that going vegetarian can be an effective way to shed those extra pounds that keep them from looking good in a bikini. [....] Anyone wishing to achieve a hot ‘beach bod’ is reminded that studies show that vegetarians are, on average, about 10 to 20 pounds lighter than meat-eaters. [...] ” – PETA Press Release [2]
Tracy Reiman, Executive Vice President of the activist group, supports the billboard. “Trying to hide your thunder thighs and balloon belly is no day at the beach,” she says. “PETA has a free ‘Vegetarian Starter Kit’ for people who want to lose pounds while eating as much as they like.”
This isn’t the first time PETA has offended heavy-set people. Back in 2002, they launched an Internet ad aimed at travelers, shown above. After outrage from the International Size Acceptance Association (ISAA), the ad was discontinued. The ISAA expressed anger and disgust over seeing the latest billboard, and are hoping to petition the removal of it, as well. [3]
When asked to respond to the campaign’s critics, Ashley Byrne, a senior campaigner for PETA stated, “Our goal is help overweight Jacksonville residents – the best way to do that is to go vegetarian. We’re not trying to insult anyone. [....] Vegetarians look and feel better than meat eaters. This is a life-saving message.” [2]
Source:
[3] “PETA Attacks Fat People – Again!” International Size Acceptance Association. August 10, 2009
While I disagree with the shock tactics that PETA’s employing in this campaign, I have a strong opinion about the lack of public response to obesity in this country. The criticism isn’t against “big”, it’s against “fat”. There’s a difference and it’s surprising that there is so much public acceptance out there, barring the example of the fashion industry. I’m not sure who is out there defending being overweight, as if it IS okay. It’s a leading cause of all sorts of diseases as well as premature death, not to mention a huge cog in (unnecessary) product development and profiteering. It’s NOT okay, from a health standpoint. Smoking’s not okay, and public campaigns against this stand no opposition from those who are health-conscious. Same goes for drinking too much, let alone taking drugs. So, why is it okay to eat too much and jeopardize your health in this manner and then become defensive and reactionary when it’s noticed? If it is a compulsive issue, then there are treatment centers and counseling available, just like for alcoholics and drug addicts. However, it’s the one addiction that we can’t touch publicly and if you do so, then you’re trampling on someone’s right to say “fat is beautiful”. Well, whether or not you think fat is beautiful is hardly the point. Fat is unhealthy, and all the PC stuff out there pressures us to not say this outright lest we be at risk for being a bigot of some sort.
While PETA’s efforts are “in your face” and offensive to some, the idea is the same as that behind “here’s your brain on drugs” or something similar. To take the defense of the overweight, is like saying “this is offensive to a junkie,” in the case of the anti-drug ad, a defense that would be laughable. Get past your indignation and ask yourself why it cuts to the core like this–it may be an opportunity to get help rather than lash out against freedom of expression (and whittle down these freedoms even further).
While PETA’s efforts are “in your face” and offensive to some, the idea is the same as that behind “here’s your brain on drugs” or something similar.
that’s true but this is just not clever or creative advertising. You can be offensive and “in your face” with ads if they’re done in a creative and in an intellectual fashion that will at least provoke some thought about the message rather than immediate reaction. If only this was executed better I could get behind their approach, “save the whales” I mean that sounds like something a 4th grader would come up with, maybe their trying to stir up fat peoples unpleasant memories of childhood teasing and get under that skin… I don’t know, it’s just they could have executed this so much better , it just comes off juvenile
pfft who thought that was a good idea? they just like having a shock factor that will remind u of peta. but NO ONE will go vegetarian bc of this.