PETA: The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals has moved more towards scare tactics in its newest teen-marketed ads.
By Isabel De La Garza, Senior Writer
Overlooking two high schools in Missouri is a new PETA billboard. While, like other PETA ads, it is extremely superficial and caters to appearances in order to sell the organization’s ideology, this one exerts more pressure on teenagers than the others. Unlike other ad campaigns such as “Ink not Mink,” this ad takes aim at the self-esteem and vanity of teenagers to pressure them into agreeing with PETA’s stance on dairy.
The ad features a teenage girl with a milk moustache and large red pustules on her skin, which look far more like boils or chicken pock marks than pimples, with the words “Got Zits? Studies show: milk and cheese trigger acne. Ditch dairy” written on the side. For the target audience this is extremely effective, as teenagers do tend to have lower self-esteem and, as most people do, abhor pimples. The pimples are enlarged in a burlesque fashion in order to make them stand out even more and the milk moustache draws a connection between the classic “got milk?” ads and zits. Overall, its planning was well-thought out; however, many doubt it is actually fact-based.
To the surprise of many, it is true. Overconsumption of dairy products does tend to lead to pimples. This is because consumption of dairy causes the body to produce more oils, which in turn clog pores on the skin and lead to pimples. This, however, is not a major problem if one does not consume dairy products excessively and bathes regularly. When one bathes one can eliminate the excess oils to some degree and thus minimize the risk of pimples.
Ingesting too much dairy is not the only thing that can cause breakouts, however. Cosmetic use and hair removal can lead to pimples on some individuals with sensitive skin. Eating too much chocolate is also said to cause acne. Hormones often trigger zits as well.
Pimples are a phenomenon created by a number of factors working in concert together to mar once-perfect skin. Dairy is only one of many, many more. Using an ad to pressure teens who may already be worried about their looks into a strong idealistic lifestyle is going to far, however. If the ad was in a pamphlet that thoroughly explained the studies and the benefits of living without dairy, it would be much less unappetizing to parents and children. As it is now though, it is nothing more than a pressure tactic designed to frighten kids into a vegan lifestyle, which may or may not be right for them.