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Ogilvy, Formul8 and BMF sign PETA pledge to stop using apes in advertising campaigns

ape in adA number of ad agencies in Asia Pacific have taken a pledge to stop using apes in their advertising following a campaign from animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific, independent Singapore agency Formul8 and Australian agencies BMF and 303Lowe have taken the pledge after a PETA initiative that started in October last year.

Other agencies that have said they will avoid using apes to sell their clients’ wares are Hong Kong’s The Advertising Company; Well Advertising, TeamAsia and Brand Benefits from the Philippines; and Australian agencies Marketing Mechanics, Studio 55, Blink Studio, NrG Advertising, Synergy Creative, Scott Advertising & Marketing and Toby Creative.

Agencies that have already promised not to use apes in ads include BBDO, DDB, TBWA, McCann Erickson, JWT, Y&R, Ogilvy & Mather and Saatchi & Saatchi.

Jason Baker, PETA’s director of campaigns, said: “Like human babies, young great apes need to be with their mothers, not taken away from them and left scared and alone in steel cages on a hot, noisy production set. By pledging not to use great apes, these agencies are helping stop animal abuse in advertising.”

The next time you see an ape in an ad, the likelihood is the animal was forcibly separated from its mother, Anjelica Huston explained in this short film for PETA.

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