I created this new PETA advertisement to accurately illustrate the organization’s views on meat consumption, and to re deliver the message they were trying to sell in the original ad, only without the misleading and ill-informed information regarding cancer development. By including a bold red heading reading “less meat more fruit,” and having a sub heading clarifying the problematic concerns of consuming processed meats, the focus narrows in on the more fundamental message: that children should consume a variety of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis as a contributor to their physical health. To exemplify the significance of this notion I included a healthy and fit boy standing in front of a plethora of plant based foods. Unlike the original ad of a little boy smoking, this advertisement produces the message of what a child should eat instead of what they should not. In contrast to the advertisement of the boy smoking a cigar, this new advertisement does not compare meat consumption to any other carcinogenic substances, as there is no conclusive evidence that eating meat is as lethal as the intake of tobacco. I wanted to include the smaller sub heading that mentions the risks involved with eating processed meat; however, I wanted to make it as specific as possible so as to not mislead the public with false information. Also, I aimed to incorporate as many colours as possible, as this is a strategic way to draw people’s attention to the advertisement. I believe this new PETA announcement to be more informative, playful, attention grabbing and direct.

Shortly after the publication of a report that went viral from the International Agency for Research on Cancer relating to processed meat and colorectal cancer in late 2015, people for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) published this controversial billboard campaign. In attempt to create awareness of the link between eating processed meats and developing cancer, which featured a child smoking, the advertisement immediately caused PETA to be critiqued. With PETA being a long time advocate of veganism, they jumped on the opportunity to boast in their values, in hopes that people would re think their food consumption habits, now that there was “evidence” of the correlation of red meat consumption and cancer development. Undoubtedly the advertisement had an adverse effect, as later a follow up report was published clarifying that there is no conclusive evidence that consuming processed red meat “definitely” causes cancer, yet on this billboard the text that reads “eating bacon, sausage and other processed meats is linked to cancer” implies that there is science to back up this claim. Although PETA may find using a child smoking on their billboard a creative way to capture viewers attention, I believe it to be illogical for the mere reason that it is unquestionable that a parent would never allow their child to smoke. Furthermore, comparing red meat and tobacco consumption as equal carcinogenic substances is erroneous since there is no sound evidence that eliminating red meat from the diet will prevent cancer, yet smoking cessation continues to be the number one cancer preventative strategies.

Welcome to UBC Blogs. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!