Sunday’s Super Bowl XLV expects to attract more than 100 million U.S. television viewers, which helps explain why advertisers stand in line to hand over $2.8 million to $3 million for each 30-second advertising spot. In fact, the number of commercials has jumped from 82 spots taking up about 40 minutes in 2001, to 104 ads running nearly 48 minutes last year.
According to the people who track such things, the ad traffic for this year’s super Bowl is so heavy that Ford managed to land only a spot in the pre-game. Some of the heavyweights represented this year include Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, Best Buy and CarMax.
And, of course, there is PETA, the animal rights extremists who are trying to squeeze in their latest promotion that has been called “veggie porn.” PETA likes cutting ads that step over the proverbial line, and their latest effort does just that.
Last year’s ad titled “Veggie Love” was declined by NBC. This year’s ad is a compilation of “outtakes” from the audition for last year’s commercial, and the spot contains various bikini-clad women in raunchy poses with vegetables. The ad is not suitable to run on this website, and there is little chance it will be accepted by FOX, the network that will air this year’s game.
(FOX, in fact, has already declined to air two other ads. An ad from a matchmaking infidelity website, which features a porn actress, was quickly turned down. So, too, was an ad from a conservative satirical site, “JesusHatesObama.com”.)
All of which is just fine with PETA. The fact that their ads are banned only seems to draw more attention, and there are plenty of websites willing to post the video, so PETA saves the $3 million it would cost to air during the game. Indeed, at least one blogger suggests this latest ad from PETA “has already gone viral online.”
As for the Super Bowl gimmick, PETA is hardly alone. Little-known companies or advocacy groups sometimes make a big splash with a Super Bowl ad. Many others submit a blatantly over-the-top piece they know will never see a hint of exposure on the networks carrying the big game. That’s when their PR teams go to work sending out press releases with headlines such as “the commercial CBS/FOX/ABC doesn’t want you to see.”
In fact, the tactic has become so old that Advertising Age, the advertising industry’s magazine of record, refuses to play the game anymore. “It’s an annual tradition that companies who likely don't even have the money to spend on an actual Super Bowl spot, find willing suckers in the media who give them some free PR," Ad Age wrote. "Not going to happen here."
Touting banned ads is one PETA tactic, and using sex to generate attention is another tactic they have used for years. Actress Alicia Silverstone, for instance, posed naked for one of PETA’s recent posters with the tag line: “I am Alicia Silverstone and I am a vegan.”
What all of this – the posters, the “Veggie Love” videos - has to do with the protection of animals is never made clear by PETA. In fact, PETA’s efforts are so focused on gaining your attention that the underlying message is lost.
PETA’s antics, however, are wearing thin – even among many of the group’s supporters. As one online critic said, “Truth be told, PETA gives me a pain in the ass. I mean… their pretentious, smarmy, hipsterism is hard to swallow.”
According to the people who track such things, the ad traffic for this year’s super Bowl is so heavy that Ford managed to land only a spot in the pre-game. Some of the heavyweights represented this year include Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, Best Buy and CarMax.
And, of course, there is PETA, the animal rights extremists who are trying to squeeze in their latest promotion that has been called “veggie porn.” PETA likes cutting ads that step over the proverbial line, and their latest effort does just that.
Last year’s ad titled “Veggie Love” was declined by NBC. This year’s ad is a compilation of “outtakes” from the audition for last year’s commercial, and the spot contains various bikini-clad women in raunchy poses with vegetables. The ad is not suitable to run on this website, and there is little chance it will be accepted by FOX, the network that will air this year’s game.
(FOX, in fact, has already declined to air two other ads. An ad from a matchmaking infidelity website, which features a porn actress, was quickly turned down. So, too, was an ad from a conservative satirical site, “JesusHatesObama.com”.)
All of which is just fine with PETA. The fact that their ads are banned only seems to draw more attention, and there are plenty of websites willing to post the video, so PETA saves the $3 million it would cost to air during the game. Indeed, at least one blogger suggests this latest ad from PETA “has already gone viral online.”
As for the Super Bowl gimmick, PETA is hardly alone. Little-known companies or advocacy groups sometimes make a big splash with a Super Bowl ad. Many others submit a blatantly over-the-top piece they know will never see a hint of exposure on the networks carrying the big game. That’s when their PR teams go to work sending out press releases with headlines such as “the commercial CBS/FOX/ABC doesn’t want you to see.”
In fact, the tactic has become so old that Advertising Age, the advertising industry’s magazine of record, refuses to play the game anymore. “It’s an annual tradition that companies who likely don't even have the money to spend on an actual Super Bowl spot, find willing suckers in the media who give them some free PR," Ad Age wrote. "Not going to happen here."
Touting banned ads is one PETA tactic, and using sex to generate attention is another tactic they have used for years. Actress Alicia Silverstone, for instance, posed naked for one of PETA’s recent posters with the tag line: “I am Alicia Silverstone and I am a vegan.”
What all of this – the posters, the “Veggie Love” videos - has to do with the protection of animals is never made clear by PETA. In fact, PETA’s efforts are so focused on gaining your attention that the underlying message is lost.
PETA’s antics, however, are wearing thin – even among many of the group’s supporters. As one online critic said, “Truth be told, PETA gives me a pain in the ass. I mean… their pretentious, smarmy, hipsterism is hard to swallow.”