Heart-Warming Ad Recognised for Promoting a Compassionate Meat-Free Christmas
The spotlight is on Vodafone UK, whose high-profile Christmas ad campaign has earned the mobile phone retailer PETA’s Compassionate Marketing Award. In the heart-warming advert, Vodafone, with the help of advertising agency Grey London, tells the story of a family who decides to raise a turkey, Terry, in the run-up to Christmas. The gentle and intelligent bird quickly becomes a beloved family companion, and the final scene sees Terry sitting at the Christmas table as a guest, not a meal, while Dad serves up a delicious nut roast.
“Christmas is a time for generosity and kindness, which we can celebrate by allowing turkeys to live in peace”, says PETA Associate Director Elisa Allen.
“We applaud Vodafone for spreading a message of compassion and hope the advert will inspire others to leave animals off their plates this holiday season.”
The turkeys used in the making of the advert now live at a farm animal sanctuary in Warwickshire – but most turkeys aren’t as lucky. Turkeys in the wild can live up to 10 years, but those in the meat industry are normally slaughtered between 12 and 26 weeks of age. The young birds are hung upside down from metal shackles and dragged through an electrified bath that can cause them to have full-body tremors. Sometimes the turkeys are still conscious when their throats are slit and they’re placed into a bath of scalding-hot water that’s used to remove their feathers. More than 18 million turkeys are killed in the UK every year – more than 10 million for Christmas dinners alone.
In recognition of its efforts, Vodafone will receive a framed certificate and a festive hamper filled with delicious vegan treats, including a succulent Tofurky roast.
