Monthly Archives: October 2013

10/14/13

PETA Thanksgiving Turkey Terrorism

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving!

This post is in response to PETA’s blog post about  NBC Nixes Family-Friendly Thanksgiving Day Parade Ad.

In the aforementioned article, PETA complains about NBC’s decision to ban their “family-friendly” 2009 Thanksgiving Day Parade Ad, “Grace”. They further claims that their ad is made “with the parade’s kid-centric audience in mind, hoping to empower children to make informed, healthy, and humane decisions about their diets”. Here is the controversial advertisement banned by NBC:

I have to say that I disagree with what PETA is saying. Besides missing the point of what a “family-friendly” ad is supposed to be like, PETA does not demonstrate professionalism in responding to a legal decision. I mean, what is so “family-friendly” about the sinister, sarcastic advertisement? The part where the girl grotesquely describing an exaggerated version about the slaughtering of an animal? Or perhaps, it is the part where the whole family looks very uncomfortable and loses their appetite? I do not see how this advertisement can “empower children” in any way unless making them confused and appetite-less is empowering.

PETA surely has had its inspiring moments in fighting abusive manner towards animals. However, this advertisement is taking it a little bit too far. It is ironic how an organisation fighting for the ethical rights of animals is surprisingly unethical in dealing with humans. By publishing an ad that is both insulting the old-age tradition of America and terrorising children in the pretence of being “family-friendly”, PETA has dragged its name deeper into the mud. A writer in Houston, Mark R. Whittington, remarks that “PETA is not respectful of any belief but the one it holds”. As an organisation trying to make a change, PETA should have known better than to campaign itself in such a confrontational manner that decreases its value in the public’s eye.

10/7/13

Frighteningly Fruitful: Snickers Halloween

There is only one thing in my mind when October comes up: Halloween is just around the corner! Kids trick-or-treating in the streets with their cute costumes, adults dressing up to parties, and Fright Nights at the PNE. All the excitements are packed into one thrilling night!

It is apparently an exciting time for companies as well. Halloween is always a terrifyingly profitable celebration. It is hardly surprising that consumer spending sales on Halloween is second only to Christmas. I mean, who does not love scaring themselves silly and eating candies while pretending to be someone else?

Since the second half of the eighteenth century, America has been celebrating Halloween nationally. Besides the ever-increasing sales of Halloween costumes, companies are exploiting the popular holiday by incorporating the ideas into their advertisement. Nowadays, companies are elbowing each other in trying to come up with the best advertisement to attract more customers. Some of them are really creative; they are spooky yet engaging. Snickers‘s advertisements are definitely amongst my favourites.

“It’s what you would want.”

“It’s what you would want.”

“It’s what you would want.”

This advertisement is a good example of how to utilize a good combination of fear, disgust, and comedy in marketing. It is no wonder that they won a Gold Lion at Cannes in 2007 for this campaign.

Here is another creepy-licious advertisement from Snickers:

“Grocery Store Lady”

Ending Spoiler

Watch it: Snickers Halloween: “Grocery Store Lady”

Although Snickers since then has released a few more less-outdated advertisements, this particular one from 2010 is my favourite. As a closet horror fanatic, I find this advertisement genius, especially with a twist at the ending.

Snickers really grasps the concept of attracting consumer’s attention, as it created an online buzz. Another plus point, the costume donned by the creepy “Grocery Store Lady” was later auctioned at celebrity clothing auction site Clothes Off Our Back for hundreds of dollars!