As If

PETA is the largest animal rights organization in the world, at just over 1.8 million members. They proudly claim to “focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in laboratories, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry”. An acronym for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA “works through public education, cruelty investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, special events, celebrity involvement, and protest campaigns."

In the past, PETA has been most publicly linked with their very public and very extreme “protest campaigns”, but lately, their new “public education” and “celebrity involvement” operations have been receiving much more attention.

We all know and love Alicia Silverstone from her ditzy role as Cher Horowitz in the nineties pop-culture flick, Clueless, but she has recently made a comeback. Appearing in a very racy ad for PETA, Silverstone’s blatantly nude body can be seen in major magazines and on select TV stations. In addition to the words, “I am Alicia Silverstone, and I am a vegetarian”, Silverstone’s slim poolside image hopes to attract more attention and, ultimately, more support. This approach seems to be working.

Another racy ad released by PETA features Australian singer and actress Sophie Monk completely exposed. “If you are going to take your clothes off for something,” Monk explains, “it better be a good cause.” Sprawled out on a bed of chilies, Monk’s bare body is accompanied by the words “Spice Up Your Life—Go Vegetarian” in and elegant and tasteful font. Go figure.

Call it distasteful. Call it offensive. But PETA’s new racy ads seem to be drawing more attention than any other campaigns before and there are no signs of it slowing down.