PROVO, Utah (ABC4) — Students at Brigham Young University won the PETA’s Choice Awards for their creative video entries encouraging viewers to be kind to all animals.
Students in the BYU AdLab were asked to create advertisements that call attention to the abuse endured by animals used for clothing. They were also encouraged to challenge speciesism, the “human-supremacist belief that other animals exist for our benefit,” a press release states.
In total, three videos created by students in the AdLab were recognized by PETA as winners: “Every Baby Has a Mother,” “Love is Human,” and “Lil’ Luxury Lucy.”
The video “Every Baby Has a Mother,” is a stop-motion video that depicts a doting mother snake and her baby enjoying a day at the park, playing at home, and then snuggling in for a movie before falling asleep together on the couch. However, in the morning, the mother finds her baby has gone missing. The scene then shows an image of a snakeskin handbag being purchased online.
“[This] shows that the loving bond between mother and offspring exists in many species but that animals are routinely torn away from their mothers so their body parts can be used for clothing and accessories,” the press release states.
The next video, “Love is Human,” is a dreamy depiction of pigeons kissing, interspersed with images of people falling in love. At the end of the video, it states, “Pigeons mate for life.” According to the press release, it demonstrates the similarities between humans and animals.
“Lil’ Luxury Lucy,” is a spoof advertisement for a doll that comes with her own cow and sheep. The purpose of the cow and sheep is that their skins can be torn off to make the doll’s leather and wool clothing. “Awesome! It’s just like real life!” the kids in the advertisement said.
The ad ends on a black screen with the following messages.
“Feels Wrong?”
“It Is.”
“End animal cruelty. Shop animal-free.”
According to PETA’s press release, “These winning videos from BYU reveal the plight of animals whose cries go unheard, including when they’re separated from their mothers and abused and killed for fleeting fashion statements and other human whims,” PETA Senior Director Danielle Katz said. “With the help of these creative design students, PETA is reminding everyone to use their talents to speak out against speciesism.”
Peta’s motto reads that “animals are not ours to wear or abuse in any other way.” To learn more about their mission, you can follow them on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
