Campaign coordinator Ashley Byrne explained it this way, “PETA thought that by renaming fish sea kittens, compassionate people who would never dream of hurting a dog or cat might extend that sympathy to fish, or sea kittens.”
Make no mistake. I am not a fan of PETA’s mission or tactics. But you have to hand it to them for trying to remake an image that’s thousands or millions of years old (depending on your view of Creation). General Motors has been trying to change its image for years with no success, and they’re only a hundred years old.
From a marketing standpoint, they’re going about it the right way:
- Think small: the campaign is being tested in North Carolina before going nationwide. That gives them a chance to test and tweak positioning and messaging early in the process.
- Think long term: a cornerstone of their campaign is aimed at getting children to think in terms of Sea Kittens. PETA understands rebranding doesn’t happen overnight.
- Think emotionally: brands are nothing more than an emotional reaction to tangible and intangible stimuli. Fish don’t melt your heart. Kittens do (for some people).
It will be interesting to see how this plays out. If they can pull this off, what’s next? Used car salesmen will be rebranded yellow Labs? Lawyers become koala bears? This could become the “golden age” for marketing consultants!!!
What do you think about PETA’s campaign?
3 comments:
Well maybe lawyers = land sharks? Oh well. Great post. I also liked it so well I read every other article you posted - all great stuff John. Keep it up.
Maybe http://sea-kittens.com/ might be of interest to you? It’s mostly about mocking PETA’s stupidity, but there’s also a few Sea Kitten recipes as well :)
At some point, they may find they have gone too far and won't be taken as seriously. People are becoming more savvy and aware of marketing tactics. Just how far various audiences will allow PETA to go may be called into question here. As long as they get media exposure, that distance will probably grow.
Getting people to change their perception of sometime, like a fish, is tricky. After all, perception is reality in the world of marketing and motivating action. We know that fish are not kittens in the sea, but a perception shift like this can occur with a few strategic efforts and a bit of luck and then you have generational segments that welcome the shift and before long, we won't need to worry about fish shortages in our seas and lakes.
What's next, naming carrots and string beans? Now we have a co-branding opportunity with VeggieTales.
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