By Ed Browne
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has divided Twitter after posting a video suggesting that various kinds of fruits will help boost libido in an effort to encourage people to go vegan.
The animal rights organization posted its video on the social media platform on Tuesday this week, and it has since soared in popularity to become a trending topic.
The clip shows various fruits cut in half, with someone handling them suggestively. Each fruit comes with a caption stating its alleged benefits in the bedroom.
Read More
Gordon Ramsay Shares Video of Himself Naked in the Shower3 min read
Are Magic Mushrooms Legal And Can They Treat Depression?7 min read
LGBT Vets Discharged For Their Sexual Orientation Will Now Get Full Benefits3 min read
"Chili peppers will have you hot and heavy in no time," states the video. It also suggests that juice from oranges increases blood flow and that zinc—found in avocados, for example—can increase libido.
Newsweek cannot verify the claims made in PETA's video, though some have been made before. Zinc, for example, has been linked to increased levels of testosterone—a hormone that stimulates sex drive. However, eating too much can be harmful.
In any case, as of Friday morning EDT the tweet had been liked over 4,500 times and retweeted over 1,000 times. But over 13,000 people had quoted it, meaning people were talking about the tweet far more than they were "lik[ing]" it—generally regarded as a sign that the tweet is controversial.
Indeed, a look in the comments section underneath the tweet revealed a mixed bag of responses.
Some users responded positively, with one writing: "Brilliant ad!"
Another said: "I'm already vegan, but if I weren't this would certainly convince me of the benefits of a plant-based diet."
Others, though, expressed shock at the explicit nature of the video. One wrote: "Huh? Why is PETA fingering fruit? Am I going crazy or is everyone else?"
Another wrote, in a tweet that got several times more likes than the original, "Y'all freaky as hell up at PETA."
"That's enough Twitter for today," said another.
Some users responded with hostility, with one writing: "You guys do everything except save animals." Others mockingly posted photos of meat.
It's not the first time PETA has stirred controversy with a marketing campaign. Only recently the animal rights organization said it was calling on Nintendo to include a pro-vegan video game character in the popular Super Smash Brothers franchise. It has also been critical of the Pokémon franchise, stating that the games "paint rosy pictures of things that are actually horrible," referring to exploited animals.
The activist group is also known for attention-grabbing ad campaigns such as the Baring It All project which featured celebrities stripping for cameras in an effort to criticize the fur industry.
...
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines