A peek into the tactics behind one of the biggest nonprofits for animal rights

Even if you’re not vegan, you likely know who People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is or have seen at least one of their outdoor ads or something gruesome produced by them online. When I finally read Free the Animals, it finally made sense to me why vegans revere Ingrid Newkirk.

PETA is the world’s largest animal rights organization. I thought it was founded way before 1980, but when you think about it, it’s been operating for almost half a century, and is still going strong.

Even though PETA isn’t loved by all vegans, you must admit its ability to gather resources and use them effectively to share what happens to animals in multiple industries is unmatched. It’s got a long list of accomplishments and results on behalf of animals. And if you don’t like its approach, well, do something else to stop these industries from abusing and killing animals, because it’s gotten worse—not better—in the last 5 decades!

Let’s see who and what makes the marketing machine of this nonprofit behemoth ticking.

Date founded: March 20, 1980

Headquartered in: Norfolk, Virginia, USA

Founder(s): Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco

Current CEO: Ingrid Newkirk

Current CMO/Marketing Director: Joel Bartlett (Senior VP Marketing)

Annual revenue: $85m

Annual marketing budget: Unknown

This video with founder Ingrid Newkirk is from 2008, but still recaps really well why PETA exists and why its work is still so important.

Products/services:

PETA focuses on ending animal exploitation across various industries. Its key offerings include:

Investigations and campaigns: Undercover investigations into industries like factory farming, animal testing, and the fur trade
Educational resources: Materials for schools, parents, and students promoting humane education
Vegan lifestyle promotion: Guides, recipes, and resources encouraging plant-based living
Cruelty-free certifications: Databases and certifications for products not tested on animals
Merchandise: Apparel, accessories, and literature promoting animal rights messages
Advocacy tools: Petitions, alerts, and action kits for grassroots activism

Brand features:

1. Emotionally charged, attention-grabbing ad campaigns. PETA exposes cruelty in food, fashion, entertainment, and science with urgent and direct messaging, aiming to inspire immediate action among vegans and the public.

2. PETA’s website is a hub for activism, offering investigations, vegan starter kits, cruelty-free product lists, and educational resources like PETA Kids and TeachKind. It’s regularly updated with news, victories, and action alerts to keep supporters engaged.

3. PETA stands out for its provocative marketing, leveraging celebrity partnerships, viral stunts, and shocking imagery to keep animal rights in the spotlight. Its tone is fearless, emotional, and often controversial, designed to challenge norms and shift culture.

Top marketing tactics

PETA’s marketing spans traditional media, digital platforms, and influencer collaborations, making it one of the most visible and vocal forces in animal advocacy today. It often intertwines its top 3 tactics into integrated online and outdoor campaigns.

1. Shock Advertising

PETA employs graphic imagery and provocative messages to highlight animal cruelty, aiming to elicit strong emotional responses and drive change. Here are just a few of the many examples.

I saw the “Last Longer” ad below from 2016 while I was voting in my city by-election this month, and it might have made me blush! PETA wanted to show it on TV during Super Bowl 50, but the ad was deemed too explicit and sexually suggestive for broadcast. The ad was released online despite the ban. At 500+ million views and counting, it’s their most popular video on YouTube.

2. Social media campaigns

PETA leverages Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to disseminate videos and content that create animal rights awareness and encourages veganism.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by PETA (@peta)

3. Celebrity endorsements and collaborations

Collabs with public figures help PETA reach wider audiences and lend credibility to their campaigns. The list includes vegans and nonvegans alike: Alec Baldwin, James Cromwell, Paul McCartney, Joaquin Phoenix, Pamela Anderson, Charlize Theron, P!nk, Alicia Silverstone, Billie Eilish, and more.