In the long history of advertising claims that stretch credulity, few categories have proved as durable as those involving male performance. Peta, the animal welfare organization, is now entering this arena with a campaign that makes the case for veganism in terms that would have made the old Enzyte commercials blush.
The three 30-second spots, created by the agency Samy Alliance with the production company Contrario, deposit viewers in settings that might be described as aggressively masculine: a Western shootout, a fencing match and a karate dojo. In each scenario, two men face off in combat, though the weapons they wield emerge from locations somewhat south of where one typically holsters a revolver or sheathes a sword. (The less said about the karate sequence, perhaps the better.)
The vegan combatant wins each contest, his victory attributed to what Peta delicately terms "harder and longer erections" — a benefit the organization says is supported by research into vascular health and plant-based diets. The campaign cites a study featured in the documentary "The Game Changers," which found that men who consumed a vegan meal experienced erections that were "13.5 percent firmer and lasted five times longer," according to Peta.
This is the third collaboration between Peta and Samy Alliance, suggesting that the relationship has proved satisfactory to both parties. The organization has long favored advertising that could be characterized as provocative, a word that here may be doing considerable work.
Whether the spots will persuade men to reconsider their dietary choices — or merely provide a few seconds of startled amusement before the skip button appears — remains to be seen. Peta, for its part, has never been an organization that worried overmuch about subtlety. The animals, presumably, do not mind.
Original story published in The Drum: "Ad of the Day: Peta touts veganism’s hard, strong, robust benefits to men’s health | The Drum"