PETA Surprisingly Quiet On Oprah’s KFC Promotion

18
by Michael dEstries May 7, 2009
Categories: Animals, Eats
Tags: .

peta_oprah

While many shots have been fired from blogs and news organizations over Oprah’s decision to align herself with KFC and give away free chicken dinners, the loudest cannons of all from PETA have yet to fire. In fact, the animal rights organizations has been oddly silent on the issue — which is largely surprising considering their usual snappy media retaliations.

There are two ways to potentially look at this. One, the PR team is attempting to gracefully protest Oprah’s decision while also suffering a hit with their naming her their “2008 Person of the Year“. The marketing blitz that PETA is currently engaged in to force KFC to improve the conditions of its suppliers’ factory farms is definitely taking a direct shot from this promotion. If someone other than Oprah had done something similar, I would bet the cannons would have been firing within hours.

Which leads me to my second point: This is Oprah. One of the most powerful media personalities (and individuals in general) in the world. My guess is they’re trying to figure out how not to piss her off — which could come back to haunt the group in various ways. If they slam her, they risk the wrath of her massive audience. If they go easy on her, they risk backlash from animal rights supporters. Of course, saying nothing doesn’t necessarily help your cause either.

So far, their blog, Twitter feed, and main media release page have all been quiet. Will the real PETA please stand up?

[UPDATE: PETA has responded.]

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

View all posts by Michael dEstries →
  • http://stimpsonwrites.blogspot.com Run-DMS

    And this “green” site’s obsessive crush on PETA continues …

  • http://www.theecosista.com www.theecosista.com

    PETA knows how to stay in their lane…

    They know when to pick and choose their battles. Michael Vick: easy target for the obvious reasons. Oprah: they don’t want none, lol.

  • VeggieTart

    This isn’t a “crush” on PETA. You would think the most prominent animal rights organization would say something, even if it’s just a show of surprise that she would align herself with KFC after her expose of cruel conditions chickens endure. Maybe express polite disappointment.

  • http://www.ecorazzi.com Michael Andre d’Estries

    Crush? How is criticizing a lack of action a crush?

  • KyleSven

    It wouldn’t make any sense for PETA to bad mouth Oprah. They can use her for more good if they stay on her good side. PETA is very smart. That’s why we are talking about them and not some other animal rights organization.

  • http://elainevigneault.com Elaine Vigneault

    I’ve chosen not to talk about this because I think in this instance, any discussion is merely advertising for KFC.

    The PETA blog isn’t quiet anymore:
    http://blog.peta.org/archives/2009/05/unthink_kfc_for.php

  • Pierre

    you just wanted an excuse to use that great cannon photo.

  • Pingback: PETA is Too Chicken to Grill Oprah | Deceiver.com

  • http://www.diggingthroughthedirt.blogspot.com Tracy

    Interesting that the PETA blog doesn’t mention Oprah.

  • Pingback: PETA Responds To Oprah’s KFC Promo, Believes She Was Deceived // Archives // ecorazzi.com :: the latest in green gossip

  • Jack Lani

    Oprah’s just the everyday usual “presstitute”. She rents her celebrity for free publicity which would cost her millions of bucks to buy one afternoon then is paid for making an appearance for the opposition the next day. Everytime she lends her image to some wingnut cause for free publicity I hope IRS taxes here double on her ill gotten gains. Anyone who works with PETA or HSUS has no morals.

  • Ashley

    They can’t attack Oprah because she did something nice for people struggling in America. What are they going to say “Omg, stop helping poor people because of the chickens!”
    It’s silly, and I feel bad for the chickens but we need to help the needy. This just goes to show how when you do a good deed you still can’t please everyone.

  • Whoever…

    Putting aside the ‘feeding the poor’ part – they aren’t really feeding poor people because this is just a publicity stunt and no poor whatsoever will truly be helped in the long term with ONE free meal – which I really am a bit tired of reading about, this only proves that what really matters in this world is MONEY! Not people or animals but the ‘green’ stuff (= dollars).

    KFC couldn’t care less about the poor. They’re just going to make a huge profit out of this. Regarding Oprah, she is going to be regarded, once again, as a wonderful person who tries to help everyone! What a good stunt for her image!

    Regarding PETA, well this also proves me right when I say that the main goal of most NGOs (environmental and animal rights) is to raise as much money as possible for themselves. Of course PETA doesn’t want to make Oprah mad! Can you imagine how many PETA supporters would stop donating money to them if they criticised her publicly? They can’t have that! Therefore they don’t want to make a big fuss out of this issue. Consequently they don’t do their job which is to speak on behalf of animals and their rights… If they truly cared about animal rights they would fire their cannons at her as they do with pretty much everyone else!! They are scared…! PETA is scared of Oprah…! :)

    This is what happens when you deify someone and that person becomes so powerful (s)he is above any criticism!

    Oh, and Oprah may be extremely powerful in the USA but in Europe, even though most people know who she is, her influence is probably zero!!

  • PDC

    PeTA has found themselves between a rock and a hard spot. They had previously given Oprah one of their generic awards, and now she has aligned herself with the target of their largest campaign ever.

    If they now decide to withdraw any support for Oprah, they have admitted fault in their judgement. And PeTA has never admitted any fault for anything they’ve ever done.

    If they go on the offensive against Oprah, they risk not only her wrath, but the backlash of all of her supporters. And despite what PeTA may choose to believe, they know Oprah has a larger following than they do. It will be a bite they won’t be able to chew.

    PeTA’s only hope to come out of this unscathed is to remain as silent as they can, and hope it all blows over. But if the media maintains a decent amount of pressure, they will have to choose a course of action eventually, and as far as I can tell, it’s really a no win situation for them.

  • http://niagaraanimalrightscenter.blogspot.com/ dan

    “I feel bad for the chickens but we need to help the needy,”

    Is there no other way to help the needy than to offer a free KFC meal? Oprah could have chosen a hundred different ways to help the needy without causing harm to animals.

    And why KFC? I’m sure Oprah could have found something a little more healthy.

    I wasn’t impressed when Oprah tried the vegan diet (which she fell off if anyone care to really research it) or ran the show on farm animal cruelty because I didn’t believe her motives were sincere.

    She just goes with whatever’s hot and in the news one day and then whatever’s hot and popular the next. This latest development kind of proves it.

  • Margo Hershey

    I am so over Oprah. She is a hypocrite and I don’t buy for a minute she was duped. Why not offer a free healthy meal for all our overweight population?
    Salad bar anyone?
    I wouldn’t want to be responsible for the hacking to death of millions of chickens for this free food offer.

  • Sid Samant

    Read more about Rodger Eaton’s apology at
    http://www.aircheese.com/article/kfc-dominos-ms–apologies-part-i

  • Jae

    And yes, indeed “this “green” site’s obsessive crush on PETA continues …”

    Not much “green” left in Eco-Razzi once you take away all the non-issue stories derived from a PeTA press release.
    Please get back to ecology and leave the commercial protest industry in thew gutter where they belong.

« PREVIOUS POST
NEXT POST »