Vegan Christmas Advert: Cinema

[InAMess2023]

Had a lovely festive day out with the girls yesterday and went to see Love Actually (20 year re-release). Settled down to watch a film and an advert came on... it's a cartoon turkey (voiced by Jane Horrocks) looking at all the Christmas traditions and singing a jolly Christmas carol... no idea what the ad is for...

All of the sudden the turkey (still singing) is grabbed and thrown in a van...we then see the full journey of it being hung up by the neck, electrocuted, and the screen goes black just as it's killed. The caption? 'Kill tradition this Christmas. Not a Turkey - go vegan this Christmas' - it's an ad for PETA.

Now I have absolutely no problem with vegans, can understand the reasoning around it, etc. but I don't have a desire to be vegan. Probably am a bit hypocritical as I am an absolute animal lover but yes I do eat meat (although not a ton of it).

Just feel like the ad was really inappropriate for the cinema and especially what is meant to be a festive feel-good film! Do I complain to the Cinema Advertising Associates/ASA?

YABU it's an important issue and you shouldn't complain
YANBU totally inappropriate - make a complaint

If the thought of an animal being killed upsets you, then you will need to either stop eating them or get over it. People are not going to stop informing and campaigning about things they consider important because it makes others uncomfortable. And provided they are being truthful when sharing the information, nor should they, or nothing would ever change.
As for people claiming their real issue is it being pushed on them, given almost every advert from November onwards involves some idea of Christmas being pushed on us, what we should eat, buy, wear, drink, leading to a great deal of discomfort for many who lack the resources to achieve the ideal, it's rather a weak argument to single this one out.

I mean...meat comes from animals that were once alive and then killed by someone, if that makes you uncomfortable then maybe that's something to reflect upon. (I eat meat occasionally, btw.)

How old are your 'girls'? Were they upset by it?

"I've not once tried to convince a vegan to eat a steak" Not exactly a great analogy!

Eating meat doesn't make me uncomfortable, I'm perfectly aware of where it comes from and what has to happen to the animal before it ends up on my plate. What I don't appreciate is having it forced down my throat when I'm trying to enjoy a trip to the cinema - no issue with vegans being vegan!

When I say the girls I mean my group of friends - we're all adults but yes they agreed with me.

I eat meat, but this isn't forcing anything down anyone's throats 🤦‍♂️ no more than adverts for British beef, or Welsh lamb, for example, would be forcing the eating of meat down the throats of vegans and vegetarians 😂

First of all, it's a cartoon. If you think that's bad, try watching a real turkey get slaughtered.

Secondly, it makes a completely reasonable point. It's simply pointing out what happens to turkeys at Christmas. In whose world is it OK to eat a turkey but not to be reminded - through the medium of a cartoon, ffs - how they reach your plate?

I'm not vegan. I'm not even vegetarian. And that advert tugged at my heartstrings and made me sad too. But I'm not angry or offended by it, because I accept that I'm the guilty one here for eating meat. I wouldn't dream of complaining about it in a million years because that would make a massive hypocrite. If I, as a meat-eater, am upset by an advert about the realities of meat production... that's on me. I'm the problem, not the advertiser.

The advert will have an age rating the same as, or lower than, the film being shown. It doesn't have to have the same mood or vibe. Just because you went to see a feel-good film, that doesn't mean anyone is obliged to show you feel-good adverts. There is no point in complaining to the cinema because they haven't done anything wrong and there's no point in complaining to the ASA because that advert doesn't breach any advertising rules. There's no rule that says an advert isn't allowed to be sad.

@ManateeFair fab post.

As a veggie I get meat advertising 24/7 and it really ramps up at Christmas. Honestly ONE advert that factually shows you cartoon animal slaughter doesn't even tip the scales remotely. Funny how veggies get this all fecking year but if it's even hinted at that people are eating animals that were once alive then it's being 'pushed down their throat' yayada.

Free speech should mean everyone gets the opportunity to be heard. Not just that those that don't agree with you should stfu.

This is reality. Own your decision op.

So does industrial production of all grain, vegetables and fruit. It's not nice but the only way to not have very significant numbers of animals die to feed you, is to stop eating.

@RhiWrites

Maybe @swuahies hasn’t tried to convince a vegan to eat a steak but as a vegetarian I can attest to numerous meat eaters trying to convince me that “animals are delicious”.

Vegetarian also and agree this has happened A LOT. I have never tried to persuade anyone else just answered questions if asked. Some people get offended as their take is you are questioning their life choices.

I think the advert sounds revolting but there’s something weird about being more offended that you’re forced to confront such things happening than at them happening in the first place.

I don't particularly like this advert, but it's shocking and makes you think. The industrial treatment of animals is cruel and pretty disgusting. I doubt it will work though.

I think that is a business error on the part of the cinema to sell space for such an advert. Going to see a movie is supposed to be fun. That’s a shit customer experience

Honestly that advert is tame. You don't even see the moment of death. Look up slaughter methods and animal management prior to slaughter in the UK. Beak clipping etc.

I think the advert backfires because that turkey is really annoying and rubbishing all the harmless Christmas traditions - by the time it 'get's it', I want it to die too.

But why would you have small children with you while watching Love Actually? If you're old enough to watch a film about infidelity and complex relationship stuff then you should be able to stomach the message behind the Peta ad.

YABU.

Easter- constant lamb adverts, everywhere. Raw, cooked… just everywhere.
Christmas- constant adverts for turkeys, beef, ham joints.
Summer - bbqs. Meat fest on tv and in shops.
Meat is literally everywhere we’re just used to it, because it’s completely normal from birth to see these adverts in shops, magazines, newspapers, online ads etc.
Steaks being cooked slowly in Marks and Spencer ads, with the sexy music.
The meat aisles in shop are full of bulging bloody packets of raw meat (I avoid!) but it’s there, and you can smell the blood.
Veggies and vegans are used to all this and see it most days. Sorry about that one advert though.

TV ads constantly bombard us with images of meat, have you ever stopped to consider us vegetarians don't want that forcing down our throats?

I mean, people (referring to adults given the type of film that is was a trailer for) who eat a turkey are aware of what it is and how it’s ended up on a plate. But we don’t need to see it. I’m not vegan, my mother brother and sister are and the more they push it on me, the more it completely puts me off the idea of veganism. It’s become like a pushy cult

Difference being they don't try and make veggies/vegans feel guilty for the choices they have made. Also I've never seen steaks being advertised on the big screen at the cinema either...

Killing animals is vile and anyone who eats them isn't an animal lover. If this advert upsets you then good in my humble opinion. If you choose to eat meat then you should be able to stomach the reality of where it comes from. Maybe it will save some lives, which can only be a good thing.

Well it'd be difficult to make a vegan or veggie feel guilty wouldn't it? That carrots screamingly thing is a myth btw.

Oh and as this is PETA, who most vegans/vegetarians consider extreme, count yourself lucky that it's not the usual blood soaked naked chick/male gaze strategy they go for

I think this would only bother you if it touches a nerve. and if it touches a nerve you could ask yourself why?

As a vegetarian I find the Christmas adverts showing someone carving up a dead animal offensive. Which is pretty much every single supermarket advert showing Christmas dinner.

I also get fed up when adverts for toys my kids want but I can't afford are shown on the TV.

But I wouldn't complain to the advertising watchdog about them because it's just an advert.

An advert is designed to provoke a response. Which this one has done in making you feel uncomfortable enough that you want to complain about it.

You can't love animals and also buy and eat animals who have been killed for your eating pleasure. Animals farmed for food suffer. It's not a nice experience for them.

You will only feel guilt if you consider there is something in the process of meat production that you are not comfortable with.
If you are fine with the process, you won't feel guilty. It's that simple!
One might be tempted to say, that your discomfort and outrage are because you do feel guilty with your choice to eat meat, and would prefer not to face it...

I used to say a lot of stuff about vegans, "shoving things down people's throats" too. I also called myself an animal lover. Eventually worked out I didn't like vegans because deep down I felt guilty for eating animal products. So I stopped. I know no method of farming is perfect but I feel my consumer choices line up more with my values now than they did before.

Absolutely not, which is why I said 'try to make them feel guilty...'

All I wanted was a nice trip out to the cinema to watch a Christmas film with my popcorn and tango ice blast... I see enough of the various horrors of the world during the rest of my daily life!

. I see enough of the various horrors of the world during the rest of my daily life!

But you were there to see Love Actually. On purpose!