LONDON - Peta, the animal rights organisation, has urged Samsung to withdraw "the baa-studs" online ad because it claims it features footage of cruelty to animals.
The ad, for Samsung's Smart LED technology, shows a flock of sheep, wearing LED lights, being herded around by sheepdogs into different shapes.
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PETA has written to the president and chief executive of Samsung Electronics Europe, In-Soo Kim, urging him to pull the online ad, which was created by The Viral Factory.
In the letter, written by PETA’s Erika Davis, the organisation claims that the use of sheepdogs is extremely stressful for sheep, which should not be treated as inanimate props.
Davis writes: "They [sheep] are sentient, intelligent and complex animals…Tormenting, harassing and scaring sheep to promote a product is unacceptable."
The letter, which was sent today (22 April), demands a response from Kim.
In response to PETA's letter, Samsung and The Viral Factory, which created the ad, said in a joint statement: "We would never condone cruelty to animals for the sake of entertainment or commercial benefit. This film was made both starring, and in consultation with professional shepherds, and as such the whole process was carried out with the animal's welfare foremost in our minds.
"The whole concept is a celebration of this ancient skill, and the amazing partnership that exists between dog, sheep and shepherd. To suggest that we would be abusing that partnership is offensive. And as brilliant as the shepherds are, there was a considerable amount of CGI and post production involved to achieve the amazing results you see in the finished film."
One of the shepherds in the viral, Bernard Llewellynn, added: "My sheep are my livelihood and represent most of my income. Undue anxiety can be lethal, and only a total idiot would put their animals under any stress."
If they didn't do it \(which i'd have thought they did), the viral factory/samsung would be happy with this as it makes people remember a forgettable film. otherwise this would already have disappeared from the consciousness of most people. fair play to them for getting the koreans to agree to play along if they did.
I worked in advertising for years and I know it's unwise not to mention unethical) to use animals in ads, especially in stressful or dangerous situations. Humane messages are received much better and you don't risk alienating anyone. Samsung is advertising new technology so it should portray a more progressive image.
whilst the commercial does look astounding, border collies are such intelligent dogs, there is no footage of what it actually takes to have them move sheep to where they want them to go. They can be quite aggressive and violent with the herd, and that is not displayed; would be a bit of a nightmare to samsung if it was. Therefore, i have to agree with Erika from PETA issuing a letter about the misuse of the sheep herd for only the point of promoting products. Completely unnecessary.
With all of the amazing technological tools at our disposal it's quite absurd that the best Samsung can come up with to advertise their brand is the scare the sh*t out of a flock of sheep. Come on Samsung creative team, why don't you try to come up with an innovative way of marketing yourselves that doesn't involve terrifying animals? Thanks!
This is a bit rich considering Peta kill more animals each year than any other organisation, go look it up, peta kill hundreds of thousands of cats each year and they are having a go at some sheep doing what sheep do? ludicrous.
From July 1998 through the end of 2005, PETA killed over 14,400 dogs, cats, and other "companion animals" -- at its Norfolk, Virginia headquarters. That's more than five defenseless animals every day. Not counting the dogs and cats PETA spayed and neutered, the group put to death over 90 percent of the animals it took in during 2005 alone. And its angel-of-death pattern shows no sign of changing.
Hello I would like to say as some one who used to work for Peta how disgusting it is to see their still using the same tactics. They "employ" supporters to come to boards that mention anything on their blog and campaign to post positive supporting messages. Hence why Elaine Sloan and Dave are new sign ups with only one posts each. They create profiles to support their view points to try and drum up a storm and media interest. To my shame I was once part of this and used to be one of the people that would come and try to create good peta buzz.
All I can say is sorry, I thought I should try and make amends for that and to say that Peta your tactics and underhand methods do more harm to the animal welfare movement when you resort to these sort of methods.
Regardless of your thoughts on the adverts, its a shame that you've had to create fake profiles to drum up support.
Regards and ex-Peta supporter
To warn you, you can spot a PETA sign up by the same scripts of "I've worked in XXX for years" or try to use words such as terrified, scared emotive words to shock.
I am tempted to put some of the leaks on wikileaks
I worked on an ad once for the launch of stakeholder pensions which involved sheepdogs and sheep. Loads of complaints. What finally did for the campaign was the foot and mouth outbreak - even the farmers started complaining then.
Ad pulled, awareness of stakeholder pensions terrible, and our old friend Darling left trying to explain why the launch was such a disaster without admitting he'd signed off an ad based on Babe to launch a crucial plank of Labour pensions reform!
Don't work with animals or children. Or politicians.
Comments
Kate Ritchie - 22/04/2009
If they didn't do it \(which i'd have thought they did), the viral factory/samsung would be happy with this as it makes people remember a forgettable film. otherwise this would already have disappeared from the consciousness of most people. fair play to them for getting the koreans to agree to play along if they did.
Elaine Sloan - 22/04/2009
I worked in advertising for years and I know it's unwise not to mention unethical) to use animals in ads, especially in stressful or dangerous situations. Humane messages are received much better and you don't risk alienating anyone. Samsung is advertising new technology so it should portray a more progressive image.
Dave Osborne - 23/04/2009
whilst the commercial does look astounding, border collies are such intelligent dogs, there is no footage of what it actually takes to have them move sheep to where they want them to go. They can be quite aggressive and violent with the herd, and that is not displayed; would be a bit of a nightmare to samsung if it was. Therefore, i have to agree with Erika from PETA issuing a letter about the misuse of the sheep herd for only the point of promoting products. Completely unnecessary.
Mimi Bekhechi - 23/04/2009
With all of the amazing technological tools at our disposal it's quite absurd that the best Samsung can come up with to advertise their brand is the scare the sh*t out of a flock of sheep. Come on Samsung creative team, why don't you try to come up with an innovative way of marketing yourselves that doesn't involve terrifying animals? Thanks!
blob blobolob - 24/04/2009
This is a bit rich considering Peta kill more animals each year than any other organisation, go look it up, peta kill hundreds of thousands of cats each year and they are having a go at some sheep doing what sheep do? ludicrous.
blob blobolob - 24/04/2009
From July 1998 through the end of 2005, PETA killed over 14,400 dogs, cats, and other "companion animals" -- at its Norfolk, Virginia headquarters. That's more than five defenseless animals every day. Not counting the dogs and cats PETA spayed and neutered, the group put to death over 90 percent of the animals it took in during 2005 alone. And its angel-of-death pattern shows no sign of changing.
Eric Sloan - 25/04/2009
Hello I would like to say as some one who used to work for Peta how disgusting it is to see their still using the same tactics. They "employ" supporters to come to boards that mention anything on their blog and campaign to post positive supporting messages. Hence why Elaine Sloan and Dave are new sign ups with only one posts each. They create profiles to support their view points to try and drum up a storm and media interest. To my shame I was once part of this and used to be one of the people that would come and try to create good peta buzz. All I can say is sorry, I thought I should try and make amends for that and to say that Peta your tactics and underhand methods do more harm to the animal welfare movement when you resort to these sort of methods. Regardless of your thoughts on the adverts, its a shame that you've had to create fake profiles to drum up support. Regards and ex-Peta supporter
Eric Sloan - 25/04/2009
To warn you, you can spot a PETA sign up by the same scripts of "I've worked in XXX for years" or try to use words such as terrified, scared emotive words to shock. I am tempted to put some of the leaks on wikileaks
Dan Matthews - 22/05/2009
I worked on an ad once for the launch of stakeholder pensions which involved sheepdogs and sheep. Loads of complaints. What finally did for the campaign was the foot and mouth outbreak - even the farmers started complaining then. Ad pulled, awareness of stakeholder pensions terrible, and our old friend Darling left trying to explain why the launch was such a disaster without admitting he'd signed off an ad based on Babe to launch a crucial plank of Labour pensions reform! Don't work with animals or children. Or politicians.