I’ve written about my disliking of PETA’s marketing strategies in the past (you can read those posts here, here and here). This week, PETA launched a new billboard ad that truly takes the cake in terms of being downright distasteful.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about Tiger Woods’ infidelity. PETA seems to have decided that Tiger Woods’ family problems is the perfect fodder for a new billboard, which will be rolled out in Tiger’s own town, Windermere, Florida right where he, his wife, and his children (albeit to young to read, but that’s not really the point) can see it. You can check it out below.
According to Virginia Fort, a PETA campaigner involved in the ad’s creation, the billboard ad is, “a fun, tongue-in-cheek approach. … We’re sure Tiger will appreciate our attempt — from a story that’s distracted the world and followed Tiger — to turn it into something positive for little tigers.” (via The Orlando Sentinel)
I think that’s the worst attempt at justification I’ve heard in a long time. I wonder if Tiger Woods will sue, and I wonder how many people PETA will offend with this “tongue-in-cheek” ad. What do you think?
Susan Gunelius
Susan Gunelius is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc. and Founder & Editor in Chief of an award-winning blog, WomenOnBusiness.com. She is a 25-year veteran of the marketing field and has authored 10 books about marketing, branding, and social media, including the highly popular 30-Minute Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing for Dummies, Blogging All-in-One for Dummies and Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps. Susan’s marketing-related content can be found on Entrepreneur.com, Forbes.com, MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, and more. Susan is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She has worked in corporate marketing roles and through client relationships with AT&T, HSBC, Citibank, Intuit, The New York Times, Cox Communications, and many more large and small companies around the world. Susan also speaks about marketing, branding and social media at events around the world and is frequently interviewed by television, online, radio, and print media organizations about these topics. She holds an MBA in Management and Strategy and a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing.
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What a bunch of a-holes! What a lousy excuse for self-promotion. That would be like the NRA putting up billboards in Texas picturing JFK just after the assassination stating that “guns don’t kill people, people kill people”.
PeTA is supposed be such a dedicated and caring organization, yet again and again, they opt for shock-value, tabloid tactics. Don’t they realize they’re just alienating us? I guess not. Morons!
This is truly disturbing. Scott, you said it right on. PETA is alienating all the “normal” members of society with this ridiculous display.
It’s disheartening that an organization that, seemingly, has noble intentions resorts to this nonsense.
It makes me wonder…why? Surely, an organization as well-known as PETA has at least one level-headed person in its ranks, right? They must understand that they have the reputation of an extremist group. Their treatment of people receives nothing but negative press. What is the benefit of this? It’s said that negative press is better than no press, but in the context of a group like PETA; is negative press really advancing their cause? Something to think about. A great P.R/marketing question…
Alex and Scott, I completely agree with both of you. PETA’s marketing strategy of alienation runs counter to what the general public wants and needs these days.
I think someone needs to form PETH, People for the Ethical Treatment of Humans and PETA will be the first target for a negative ad campaign. Who’s with me?!?
I am a PETA supporter and normally with them in terms of their causes but I have to agree with you on this.
Totally agree Scott. I love animals…am a pet owner, or am maybe more so owned by my Shiba Inu and I’m constantly disgusted by PETA. Get a grip people. Seems like the kind of people that would turn over a schoolbus full of kids to save a rat.
Emeka, your comment made me laugh. The sad thing is, I think you might be right.