
PETA sent Tech Talk this screen capture of a message its members posted on DKNY's Facebook page.
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals used Donna Karan New York’s own social media presence against it on this, one of the largest online shopping days of the year.
PETA members posted a vertical message that reads “DK BUNNY BUTCHER” for the fashion titan’s more than 204,700 fans to see in the past hour in reference to the company’s decision to sell fur.
“PETA has sent Donna Karan executives detailed information about the suffering of animals who are raised and killed for their fur, and thousands of people have taken action against the designer, who continues to use rabbit fur from China,” a PETA spokesperson wrote to Tech Talk. “Undercover investigations have revealed that animals on Chinese fur farms are hung upside down, screaming and kicking, and are forced to watch those ahead of them die violently before their own throats are cut.”
The 16 accounts posted seemingly positive messages on DKNY’s Facebook wall — with the real message hidden in each user’s profile photo.
Among the wall posts:
- Listen, some bunny loves you!
- Fashion is life and death.
- Can u show us what goes into ur designs?
- Nothing is more important than fashion, right!?!
- Fashion to die for…
- I would kill for one of your fur coats.
- DKNY continually shocks me!
- I’m trying to save something today – can u help?
- What’s the cost of a fur coat?
- Who wouldn’t do anything for a Donna Karan coat!
Of course, after understanding the context of the overall message, the individual wall posts take on a different meaning.
DKNY appeared to be unaware of the messages as it posted at least once after its wall was defaced:
Our Cyber Monday treat: 20% Off of the entire site (both DKNY & Donna Karan New York) PLUS Free Shipping. Happy Shopping! www.dkny.com
Administrators are not notified each time a person posts on a fan page and must monitor comments.
Regardless of one’s opinions on either company, PETA’s strategy is a smart one — and one that will likely be repeated more often as more brands turn to the Web to disseminate their message.
“This is the first time that PETA has used this particular approach on Facebook,” Ashley Byrne, a senior campaigner for PETA, told Tech Talk. “We have, however, used Facebook many times to get our message across. When Brookstone was selling live frogs inside cheap plastic enclosures — misleading customers and causing the deaths of countless frogs in their stores by hiding sick animals in back rooms — we asked our members and supporters to post comments on Brookstone’s page expressing their concern for the frogs’ welfare. It was not long before the company’s Facebook fan page was taken down.”
Byrne said her company believes the use of social media is an effective tool for online advocacy and virtual activism.
“PETA uses social media in a variety of ways to interact with supporters on a personal level and share information,” she told Tech Talk. “PETA members took over Donna Karan’s Facebook page in order to pressure Karan to drop fur from her designs. We knew that Facebook would be an effective platform for letting Donna Karan’s fans know that Karan continues to design with fur even though she’s aware that gentle rabbits endure tremendous suffering because of the fur industry.”
Byrne said PETA hopes that by posting on the DKNY Facebook page, a new audience may be reached.
“Social networks have allowed PETA to connect with supporters on an individual and immediate level,” Byrne said. ”We are able to interact with any one of our 1 million Facebook fans or 100,000 Twitter followers. We can address specific questions and concerns, offer advice, and share in joint victories.”
Byrne said social media allowed PETA to stay in constant touch with supporters.
“By using social media, we can deliver information to our supporters in real time. We are able to update them on developments relating to campaigns and victories as they happen,” she said. “We knew that by targeting Karan’s Facebook page on Cyber Monday, we could convince more people to boycott her designs until she drops fur for good.”