Belgian railways company NMBS recently refused to allow Belgium’s Global Action in the Interest of Animals to take out these anti-foie gras ads,
An NMBS spokesman said that the railway refuses all political advertisements regardless of viewpoint.
On the one hand, this is a very clever ad. On the other hand, I’m not sure it would persuade many people one way or the other since it is a bit too clever — it leaves the viewer thinking “that’s a very clever ad” not “I wonder if foie gras is cruel?”
And Duval Guillaume, the agency that came up with the ad, certainly has an odd intent for it. According to Duval Guillaume’s Matthias Dubois,
Foie gras – or “fatty liver” – is still a very popular Christmas and year end dinner dish in Belgium. Because most people donÂ’t know itÂ’s made from the grotesquely enlarged livers of ducks and geese, the result of force-feeding.
I am extremely skeptical of that claim. I suspect most people who eat foie gras understand exactly what it is.
Sources:
Refused anti-Foie gras ads — too shockings ays railway company. Adland, December 12, 2005.
Interview: Inside the Foie Gras. The Spunker, December 2005.
I found a really funny blog on freedomhaters.org that really nailed the fois gras argument and pointed out how stupid and cruel it is. The blog is called something like Fois Gras for the Holidays.
You got to check it out:
http://freedomhaters.org/content/foie-gras-holidays