The Ad Everyone Is Itching to See
Is Times Square sexist? The advertising mecca rejected a provocative PETA anti-wool video billboard featuring a “below the belt” shot of a man “scratching wool from his shopping list” but gave the thumbs-up to a female version of the ad.
With male crotch-shot advertisements getting a lot of buzz right now, PETA was all set to jump on the trend, only to have our ad, er, scratched at the last minute. So we came back with a female version, which will be running in Times Square throughout the holiday season. The spots were directed in New York City by imaginative videographer Steve Willis.
Why does PETA want holiday shoppers of all shapes and sexes to scratch wool off their gift lists? A recent PETA exposé of sheep-shearing sheds in the U.S. and Australia (the source of 90 percent of the world’s merino wool) documented workers who punched frightened sheep in the face, stomped and stood on the animals’ heads and necks, and beat and jabbed them in the face with electric clippers and a hammer. One shearer twisted a sheep’s neck until it broke, killing the animal.
What You Can Do
Don’t make a rash decision. With so many nonwool fibers available, including Tencel, nylon, cotton, acrylic, and recycled polyester, it’s easy to find clothing and accessories that don’t cause sheep—or gift recipients—any discomfort. Take the #WoolFreeWinter pledge today and subscribe to PETA Living’s updates to learn about more ways to give cruelty the brush-off.
