GLEN ALLEN, VA / ACCESSWIRE / April 30, 2024 / Animal Partisan, a national animal rights group, has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission alleging deceptive advertising by the National Pork Board and entertainer Luke Bryan. The complaint stems from a video advertisement released by the National Pork Board and endorsed by Bryan that promotes the pork industry by likening the treatment of pigs at farms to that of guests at a luxury hotel.
The video advertisement at issue, released in late 2022, was filmed in a focus group setting where a moderator describes a "five-star hotel" to participants. After focus group participants responded favorably to the description of the hotel, they are told that the moderator had in fact been describing a "modern pig farm" at which time videos inside a pig farm are shown to the participants.
When originally released, the video advertisement concluded with an appearance by Bryan who voiced support for pig farmers. The video has since been modified to remove Bryan's appearance, although Bryan continues to promote the focus group theme on his Instagram page.
Animal Partisan's complaint alleges that the advertisement violates federal law intended to prevent deceptive advertising. The complaint alleges that the advertisement's description of pig farms does not accurately depict current pork industry practices. The complaint cites several undercover investigations conducted by animal rights organizations in support of its arguments and asks the Federal Trade Commission to intervene and prevent further dissemination of the video.
A copy of the complaint can be found HERE.
Media Contact: Will Lowrey, Legal Counsel, [email protected], (804) 307-4102
SOURCE: Animal Partisan