Signals & Stats : Daily Signals

Blood bags

By Peter Maxwell 16 : 05 : 2016 Peta : Ogilvy & Mather : Bangkok

Bangkok – PETA Asia’s latest campaign shocked luxury shoppers by revealing the gruesome reality behind the supply of exotic leather goods.

PETA’s pop-up shop brought the gruesome reality of the leather supply chain into the refined atmosphere of the retail boutique
Thailand is a huge source of exotic leathers for Western luxury brands, with an estimated 700,000 crocodiles held in the country’s farms

Behind the Leather by PETA, Bangkok

The animal rights charity worked with Ogilvy & Mather Advertising Thailand to create a pop-up shop stocked with a range of seemingly high-end leather bags, shoes, jackets and belts. When customers investigated the items further, however, they were revealed to contain hyper-realistic imitations of animal organs, blood and muscle. One bag even contained an animatronic beating heart. Hidden cameras captured the shoppers’ horrified reactions.

PETA was protesting against Thailand’s exotic leather industry. It is the global epicentre for crocodile farming, while indigenous snakes and lizards are also harvested for their skins. Much of the resultant material is shipped to the West for use by luxury fashion brands.

‘Every year, hundreds of thousands of reptiles are crudely bludgeoned and skinned alive, all for the sake of so-called luxury shoes, belts and bags,’ says PETA director Mimi Bekhechi. ‘PETA Asia’s gruesome pop-up shop reminds shoppers that the only way to keep blood and guts out of our closets is to choose vegan clothing, shoes and accessories.’