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

@Flivequacle That's exactly the point I was trying to make - thank you. I have no objection to adverts being made about veganism (although to be fair it's an absolutely terrible ad full stop given that it implies all Christmas traditions are ridiculous, not just the turkey). But sitting in a dark cinema with no idea what is being advertised until it dawns on you is a bit of an underhand tactic. And one unlikely to work at that - the other five people I was with also agreed with my view and none of them are now going to reconsider their eating habits.

It hasn't touched a nerve, I'm not some sort of snowflake, I just wanted a couple of hours peace to watch a film (which also by the way hasn't aged well I admit). @SharSharBinks I'm doing my bit for the world and climate change by not having kids so I reckon I'm allowed a bacon sandwich...

Oh and @QueenBitch666 just because you have bitch in your username doesn't mean you're obliged to be one eye roll

But sitting in a dark cinema with no idea what is being advertised until it dawns on you is a bit of an underhand tactic.

Most advertising could be described as underhand in some way. Advertisers want you to do something or not do something or buy something or go somewhere or whatever else. They play on insecurities, make you feel guilty, not good enough, like you’re missing out, like you aren’t doing the best for your children etc.

I'm not sure it really fits into a definition of a violent ad.

As I said the furnace scene on Toy Story 3 was much worse, that's harrowing. The ad? Mildly amusing in a Wallace and Gromit style. (Nothing to do with budgets)

Agree it’s not violent at all. Seeing the real thing you realise it is often brutal and violent. A cartoon that doesn’t actually show much at all, nope.

Me too (albeit it was live footage) I was already vegetarian but switched to vegan when I saw how male chicks/ “free range” chickens/ dairy cows/ male calves etc were treated. To be honest I knew about it for a long time and thought I was ok with participating in those industries and buying the products of that suffering by virtue of pure cognitive dissonance, basically even though I “knew” I hadn’t actually faced the reality of it, mainly because I liked cheese and cakes etc. Once I saw the footage it wasn’t something I could keep ignoring.

DH went vegan off his own bat but part of his early “facing the reality” moment was when he saw the killing of the duck in cowspiracy.

I just wanted a couple of hours peace to watch a film

@InAMess2023 could you clarify whether or not you would have started a thread If the ad had been a unicef appeal, showing the distress of children?

I wouldn't have started a thread but I also wouldn't have particularly wanted to see that in the cinema either, no. Doesn't mean I don't care or understand the importance of it during the other 8500+ hours of the year that I'm not in the cinema. Also those adverts are not pressurising me to change an existing viewpoint - I'm fairly sure that 99.99999% of people (bar a few psychopaths and sociopaths) can agree that children suffering is wrong.

And before you jump on that last point, I'm not saying suffering of animals is right. Call me a hypocrite all you like but I still want my meat to be ethically treated as far as I'm able to know about it - for example, I won't buy halal as to me that does involve suffering.

I'm not a vegan, but I am baffled that so many people are bothered by those that are.

Hypocritical much… If you find violence against animals offensive maybe don’t participate in it 🤷‍♀️

Another one not reading what I've said quite clearly...

I appreciate you responding to my question @InAMess2023 Thank you.

I understand the concept of wanting escapism, but find your strength of reaction to this particular topic, in this particular ad, fascinating.

It’s a bit random for a cinema but Love Actually is 15 isn’t it? Ergo, the advert is appropriate for the age, whether you agree with it or not.

I read what you said. You went to the cinema for light hearted escapism and didn’t want to be confronted with the reality of choices you make. But that is the reality and if you don’t like seeing it then you need to make a different choice.

You think Halal slaughter causes suffering but forcing terrified pigs into chambers where they're slowly gassed to death doesn't?

I mean it's fine if you want to eat meat but don't pretend any of it is cruelty free, these are sentient beings who know they're being killed, and who's deaths are never free of suffering.

And the ad has clearly worked as it's got you thinking about it, starting a thread about it, and introducing it to countless others too.

Why do I need to be confronted by anything at the cinema? Jesus Christ I just wanted to watch a film in peace and not focus on anything else going on in the world for what - 90 minutes of my time? I work in the NHS (in mental health), I'm politically active, I advocate for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse... can I not just have a little bit of time to myself without a reminder of 'reality'

Except it's had exactly the opposite effect on me than it was intended to... I might be thinking about it but what I'm thinking is that there's no need for such an awful fucking advert in the cinema, and that I'll still be enjoying my meaty Christmas dinner this year.... not hmmm I better start questioning my choices

I just can't see why it would have any affect on you at all if you are so comfortable with eating meat. This is what I find fascinating.

You have clarified it's not just about the harsh realities of life being brought into the cinema, it's about the message of this ad.

I don't drink alcohol but I don't get angry about ads trying to get me to imbibe.

You don't eat meat, but you are angry about an ad trying to get you to eat vegan at Christmas. I don't see the difference.

won't buy halal as to me that does involve suffering

Just so you know op, not all halal meat has been bled. Halal just means blessed. There are different types of halal but one is merely spiritual.

I actually think halal sacrifice originates partly from care of animals. That's why hiding the knife is part of the ritual.

Even in ritual halal killings the way the animal is cut it loses consciousness fairly quickly. It's much less painful, cruel than many other standard methods.

I find people's obsession with halal as 'cruel' a bit strange if I'm honest. Not eating it doesn't make you superior.

YANBU, and as a vegetarian of many decades I have no time for PETA and their tactics.

I also think the current trend for veganism is more about perceived health benefits and social trends than any success on PETAs part in persuading people of their perspective.

I think the ad is fine. Whilst I do eat meat, I don't think that eating meat should be the default. I think that allowing children to make choices about their diets includes giving them all of the pertinent information to make those choices - I have always tried to be honest and realistic about where their meat comes from. I wouldn't be upset if that ad was shown to them unexpectedly.

I literally used to raise turkeys for Christmas, and slaughter + pluck them onsite.

I wouldn't have been happy to be shown the ad.

Time and place.

roarrfeckingroar · Yesterday 14:28

This would piss me off if I had my small children with me

I took my ten year old daughter to see Home Alone and they showed it, she was a bit upset. There were younger kids, too and some of them were asking their parents about it. It's fine for an older audience, but for younger children, I think not.

Mine won't eat much meat these days, definitely not pork, because she understands that the animals are killed, in order to obtain meat.

The pro life comparison doesn't really fly as a pp said.
In addition to this we aren't shown pro choice adverts as default. We see pro meat eating ads all the time so freedom of speech should allow both sides.

Chicken run and Babe have similar premises and elements of threat and they are actually for children.

What is the time and place then? Or do we just ban all contentious ads and campaigns, including ones to help children in war zones?

Why not? Why would it impact you in any way at all?
It's a cartoon.