Viva! launches controversial TV advert on Channel 4 this Valentine’s Day
This Valentine’s Day a new controversial TV advert, created by vegan charity Viva!, will premier on Channel 4 and its associated networks.
Viva!, the UK’s leading vegan charity, will launch their much-anticipated pro-vegan TV advert ‘Takeaway the Meat’ on February 14, 2022.
The Bristol-based charity launched an ambitious Crowdfund campaign to cover the broadcasting costs for the advert and raised a whopping £40,000, which was matched by a generous donor and then doubled again to a total budget of £160,000! This campaign has already gained recognition within the vegan community, promising to raise eyebrows when it is aired this Valentine’s Day on national TV.
The TV advert follows the journey of an everyday meat-eating couple as they decide which takeaway meal to order. Snuggled up on their sofa, with their beloved dog, they choose pulled pork from the food delivery app ‘Just Meat’.
Hungry in anticipation of their meaty meal, the couple race to the door when the delivery driver rings the bell. Upon opening the door, the couple are shocked to find an adorable little piglet on their doorstep and the delivery driver brandishing a butcher’s knife announcing: “Just Meat, delivered fresh to your door.” Gob-smacked and confused, the couple don’t know what to do. Surely, they won’t kill the cute little piggy?
Viva!’s new advert encourages viewers to make the connection between the animals they choose to keep as companions and the ones that are destined for their dinner table. Viewers are invited to consider the morality of eating meat, helping them to make the connection between animals and food. The solution? Try vegan of course!
Viewers are encouraged to visit Viva!’s super helpful vegan resource, which is packed full of information for those interested in trying vegan but don’t know where to start. Brimming with simple vegan swaps, top tips, and practical information, Viva!’s dedicated web page showcases just how easy and delicious eating vegan can be.
Speaking about the TV advert, Viva! Founder and Director, Juliet Gellatley, says:
“To be a catalyst for change we recognise that we must stay ahead of the curve with our messaging, to have the biggest impact and reach as many people as possible. By broadcasting our first ever vegan TV advert on mainstream television, we’re hopeful we can give veganism the airtime it needs!
“Most people in the UK despise cruelty to animals, yet simply don’t make the connection between animal cruelty and what is on their plate. If we can encourage people to think about what they consume, at a time when delicious vegan alternatives are widely available, we can play a part – on a national scale – in helping to change mindsets and save animals.
“In addition to the shocking brutality forced upon animals farmed for food, the animal agriculture industry is wreaking havoc across our planet. It is the leading driver of wildlife loss and releases more greenhouse gases than the entire world’s transport sector.
“With delicious vegan alternatives widely available, there has never been an easier, tastier or more important time to go vegan.”
For more information on when and where the advert will be aired, and Viva!’s work please visit viva.org.uk/tv-ad.
ENDS
Notes to editor
Viva! is a registered charity 1037486
Viva! is the UK’s leading vegan campaigning charity viva.org.uk
For comments, interviews or more information please contact siobhan@viva.org.uk
