PETA raises ruckuses—and pulses—all over the world, but we don't do it alone. We have lots of helpers, like the person who recently got our "Veggie Love" commercial, which was deemed too hot by American network execs, aired in New Zealand.

While one viewer complained that our titillating tribute to veggies was over the top, no doubt many got a load of its important message after seeing the commercial.

Written by Karin Bennett

Summer hasn't even officially kicked off, but the folks at the Today show were talking Thanksgiving this morning—or, rather, discussing PETA's Thanksgiving Day public service announcement (PSA), which was just named one of the "Best Commercials of the Year" by the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP).

As AICP President and CEO Matt Miller noted, many networks refused to air PETA's PSA—in which an adorable young lady educates her family about the violence on turkey factory farms—but the Today show coverage ensured that millions of viewers saw and heard our "potent message" (Matt Lauer's words).

Curious and caring Today show viewers who are compelled to educate themselves about how turkeys are abused on factory farms and in slaughterhouses just might opt for Tofurky on Thanksgiving Day.

Written by Karin Bennett

Canada has a lot to answer for. Twenty years of Celine Dion albums, for one thing. Howie Mandel. Poutine.

OK, those things are just a matter of taste, but then there's the annual seal slaughter. During the commercial slaughter—the largest massacre of marine mammals on Earth—tens of thousands of seals have their heads bashed in or are shot for their fur. Vile!

So PETA is launching the latest volley in the seal wars: a graphic video showing tourists exactly why they should "explore elsewhere":

We will debut the spot in Winnipeg outside Rendez-vous Canada, an annual event that hosts international buyers and travel trade media, and will be airing it around the world in cities in which Canada markets itself most heavily to tourists. Our commercial is in stark contrast to the cuddly seal who is shown playfully jumping on top of a tourist's kayak in an ad run by the Canadian Tourism Commission, and it should encourage the public to choose other vacation destinations until the seal slaughter stops.

You can help us get the word out by showing the video to all your friends. Then leave a comment telling us where you'll be vacationing this year—besides Canada.

Written by Paula Moore

In planning for the upcoming Winter Olympics, will the folks at NBC take a cue from the CBS executives who decided to run more advocacy ads during this year's Super Bowl? PETA is about to find out. We're asking the network to air our animated anti–seal slaughter commercial during the Olympics:

While NBC decides whether or not it will seal our deal, urge Canadian officials to stop the seal massacre immediately.

Written by Logan Scherer

If only I owned a car, I could steer clear of crowded subway platforms and, more importantly, rationalize spending so much time watching videos at CompareTheMeerkat.com, part of a genius ad campaign by U.K. auto insurance company BGL Group. I'm not alone in my adoration: The ads have garnered tons of fans since debuting in January, and PETA U.K. has just awarded BGL and the ads' creator, VCCP, the GOODY Award for Best Ad of 2009.

Rather than exploiting animals or risking harm to them, the hilarious ad campaign uses computer-generated imagery to portray Aleksandr Orlov, a debonair meerkat who has grown increasingly frustrated that people looking for BGL's Web site, CompareTheMarket.com, keep landing on his site, CompareTheMeerkat.com, by mistake.

PETA U.K. applauds BGL's ad campaign because it uses creative alternatives to live animals, who often suffer from confusion and fear and are put at risk of injury when they are exploited on film sets. Animals used by the entertainment industry are often subjected to rigorous and abusive handling and training methods—including electric shocks—to force them to perform tricks that are confusing and often frightening to them.

On the flip side (and coming soon): the naming of the recipient(s) of the BADDY Awards, which are given to companies that feature ads that disrespect or risk harm to animals. Which company would you nominate for a BADDY?

Written by Karin Bennett

Hey, NBC: We'd like to know … if a family-friendly announcement against abusing turkeys (who live in dark, ammonia-filled sheds where workers clip their beaks, break their legs and wings, and crush their heads) doesn't meet your standards, then what does?

When we first submitted our newest commercial to NBC in the hopes of running it during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the station asked us to give more information about the cruelty behind turkey slaughter to back up the statements made in the ad. But even after we sent the network this New York Times article chronicling the grisly facts about turkey factory farming, it nixed the ad, claiming that "this commercial does not meet NBC Universal standards."

We made this commercial with the parade's kid-centric audience in mind, hoping to empower children to make informed, healthy, and humane decisions about their diets and to stand up for those decisions.

While NBC's standards are a bit foggy, we've made sure that ours are crystal clear.

Written by Logan Scherer

After more than 7,000 e-mails of complaint from our wonderful members and supporters, Verizon has pulled an ad depicting two chained pit bulls who were straining at their chains in a junkyard. They may now realize that the sight of miserable, lonely, aggressive dogs just doesn't help them hawk cell phones.

Pit bulls are by far the most abused of breeds, and this ad certainly didn't help boost their image. Since they're seen as the "tough guy's" breed, they all too often end up neglected and chained outside, left to lie amid their own waste through all weather extremes and without adequate shelter, food, or water. If that wasn't enough, even less fortunate ones end up in the hands of dogfighters.

Many thanks to all who participated in our action alert—your pressure helped get this ridiculous ad pulled. Further proof that it's worth it to ruffle a few feathers!

Posted by Sean Conner

oldstersview / CC

Well, that's what I thought when I first saw this news story: "Hogs Gone Wild, 50 team [sic] compete in Eldorado Picnic hog wrestling contest." Surely, I thought, the wrestlers wore pig costumes or something. They didn't actually wrestle with pigs …

But no—there were, in fact, 50 teams of people, all clamoring to wrestle a pig. The goal? To grab a frightened pig and force him onto a padded barrel in less than a minute.

Eldorado's fire chief, who is either PR-savvy or oblivious, says—in the words of the article—that the hogs "are kept cool and treated with utmost respect." But the astute writer of the article observed, "Not buying that for a minute, the hogs huddled together drawing deep furrows in the muck with their snouts. They glared, squinted-eyed, each time a squealing comrade was herded away." I certainly fail to see how terrorizing pigs qualifies as "respect"—just look at the first picture in the photo gallery. Look at the expression on the pig's face—does he look respected or terrified?

This isn't the first time that misguided people have used animal wrestling as a fundraiser. In fact, the Brooks Hill Community Fair in West Virginia—which was just this past weekend—had planned to hold a greased pig race until PETA told them how cruel it would be. The race was subsequently canceled—a victory for PETA and pigs and a show of decency from Brooks Hill! The Delta Fair and Music Fest in Tennessee is another event that decided not to hold their pig-wrestling competition. Good for them.

Of course, if anyone's wondering what the Eldorado Lions and Fireman's Community Picnic might do next year to raise money in a cruelty-free way … might I suggest tofu wrestling instead? We'll even provide the tofu.

Posted by Amanda Schinke