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Creative Marketing vs. PETA

Motokid

Motokid

New Member
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/02/25/roadkill.candy.ap/index.html

Do real, honest, regular people really get upset over stuff like this?

I have two snakes as pets. I think they are the coolest animals. I find real beauty in them. I am in no way offended by this type of thing. I find it funny, and appreciate the creative marketing aspect of the company making these.

I find it disturbing that there might actually be a " Mr. or Ms. Joe Regular American" out there who looks at this and is actually offended enough to want to protest and write letters.
 
I don't get upset about stuff like that. Some people just have way to much time on their hands and are just looking for something to complain about.
 
I see their point. What if they were run-over dogs and cats? That's pretty sick stuff. What message can we glean from this product, class? Road kill really isn't that funny.

Anyway, it's just another way to sell sugar to kiddies. So that's two strikes against it.
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Come on. You can't honestly tell me you think this kind of thing will lead towards fostering "cruelty towards animals"?

What about downing handfuls of goldfish crackers?
What about regular gummy bears, gummi worms, and swedish fish?

If you make Mickey Mouse pancakes and then watch your kids hack it into little pieces and wolf it down with syrup are you fostering cruelty towards mice, or turning your kids into potential abusers of animals?

I'm wondering if this is just a way for the animal rigths group in question to get some press, or even the candy maker?
 
Motokid said:
Come on. You can't honestly tell me you think this kind of thing will lead towards fostering "cruelty towards animals"?
Click to expand...

I didn't say that. I just don't think roadkill is all that funny, and I would look askance at anyone who thinks it is. I live in roadkill central, so it's not like I think it's tragic or anything. Just a fact of life, food for crows. I would not encourage anyone to see it as a source of amusement.

But then you add on the sugar-marketing factor. I object to selling directly to kids, period. I think sugar shaped like roadkill is a bad idea.
 
Like it or not, children area huge part of the worlds consumer base. Producing for, and marketing to this powerful base is here to stay and won't change.

The point this group is making is in fact that this kind of thing could lead to cruelty towards animals and I think that's just rediculous.

Children love the "gross out factor". The very fact that you find it distasteful is a selling point and attraction for kids. Like putting parental warnings labels on things makes those thing all the more appealing.

I don't find anything wrong in making Roadkill Gummi's. While it would not be a standard snack in my house I would not have a problem letting my kids have them as a treat every once in a while. It's all about fun. Have fun and laugh. If you can make an adult cringe a little in the process that's all the better.
 
I don't think the candy is all that funny either. I just don't think it's necessary to make candy that looks like that. Think of something else, I'd say.
 
Human beings systematically raise, breed and destroy like about a ca-gillion chickens, cows, sheep, pigs, fish, and other animals every year just so we can eat. Not to mention the animals used for clothing and other purposes.

What I can't figure out is why pick this over so many other things they could protest about?

It's like trying to bail the water out of the Titanic with a thimble.
Aren't there so many other, larger issues to be concerned with than a tiny little gummi candy? Wouldn't their efforts be better focused somewhere else?

You may not find it funny, but are you so offended that you would use your time to protest against it?
 
I gather you're referring to the NJ Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. They do focus their efforts on other bigger issues. I'm sure this is in the news just because of the are-you-kidding-me factor. It looks like they wrote a letter of complaint and Kraft pulled an ad. I bet those candies just disappear.
 
And the "are-you-kidding-me factor" is this:

"fosters cruelty toward animals, according to the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

"It sends the wrong message to children, that it's OK to harm animals."

And that's my whole point. I can't swallow that "real" people actually feel this way. It's taking things to extremes. I find that it lacks common sense to link a gummi fruit to violence against animals.
 
This is from PETA's own website. Apparently they are in favor of roadkill consumption, which I assume would extend in principle to candy roadkill.


". . . rather than condemn billions of thinking, feeling animals to factory-farm miseries, die-hard meat-eaters can help clear their consciences—and the streets—by eating roadkill. Remember, no pesticides, no growth stimulants or hormones, and no antibiotics went into their food. Roadkill is natural, organic, and pesticide-free!"

Perhaps they will defend the gummis as a good promotional tool for drumming up some interest in eating real roadkill.

This is their page promoting roadkill meals, called "Meat Without Murder." I guess roadkill cuisine would cut into Kraft's other business though, so they probably aren't gonna want to get on board with this.


http://www.peta.org/feat/roadkill/
 
:rolleyes: I tend to take PETA with a pinch of salt - as far as I am concerned they are an extreme animal rights group. They are anti-pet ownership, and have, on their website, recommendations that people abduct others' pets and have them neutered - i'm not even going to bother with their idea's on the Iditarod :rolleyes:

As far as they sweets go - I can't see a problem with them - I wouldn't buy them but thats my own personal choice.
 
and what about animal crackers and goldfish crackers and cereal shaped liked animals. zoodles!! is this promoting cruelty to animals.

the jingle for goldfish crackers, " the snack that smiles back until you bite their heads off."
 
I'll tell you something funny. When my boss first started at work, he introduced me to a candy I found disturbing at first GummiBabies. They're little fat human babies made out of sugar, like Gummi worms. Why babies?

I know, I know, why snakes, frogs, etc. I just wonder what mind decided that human babies were a good marketing item.
 
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