I Still Despise Broccoli

The latest in what is becoming a long line of banned superbowl commercials (think GoDaddy.com) is by PETA. The commercial consists of women in lingerie licking and stroking various vegetables. see it for yourself:



First off, the commercial is over the top, which is a PETA trademark in its advertising, however it has nothing to do with treating animals ethically (most PETA commercials do not). Will it really get anyone who watches the superbowl to throw down their chicken wings covered in assorted flavors like tangy barbecue or triple hot kamikaze devil's goatee sauce or mild. (some people want to actually taste what their eating).

Are men going to really see this commercial and think, "yes, I am gonna eat that broccoli and arugula and have better sex?" Nope. They are going to think things like, "I wish I was that asparagus or I wonder what she's gonna do next with that pumpkin."

Peta is not alone in its vegetarian through sexism logic. Look at all the female contestants in GoVeg.com's sexiest vegetarian contest.

In short it's a bad commercial that perpetuates stereotypes and tries to use sex to sell abstaining from animal consumption in our diets. In spirit PETA is a good organization; in its dissemination of its information it fails miserably. Perhaps, this is a reason for the ill will towards PETA and its public image of a radical organization. Without fixing its persona, sexy vegetable adds will not help its tarnished image nor get its message across.

PETA could have discussed the environmental impact of reducing the consumption of meat. The environment being a well known topic of discussion, but I guess when you take the vegetables out of the bedroom they're not sexy enough to put in a superbowl ad.