Marketing campaigns are intended to grab people's attention, whether the subject of a display is portrayed in a negative or positive manner. Some may say any publicity is good for the business, but what about the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) latest vinyl signs?
Earlier this month, PETA offered the San Diego International Airport $17,500 to put up an advertisement that reads "Welcome to San Diego! If you love animals like I do, please avoid SeaWorld," along with a photograph of San Diego native Kathy Najimy, the Huffington Post reported.
This proposed visual is intended to reinforce the "Blackfish" documentary, which allegedly shows killer whales being mistreated by SeaWorld's trainers.
However, when the airport authority denied PETA's request to put up the advertisements, the organization decided to file a lawsuit. PETA is very vocal on the situation, posting a blog post on their website that it will continue its legal battle through the support of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The union's attorney Sean Riordan explained why they are suing the San Diego International Airport.
"While the government has some authority to regulate advertising, this is an example of the government abusing that authority and unfairly discriminating against the message of a specific advertiser," he said in PETA's news release on the situation. "The First Amendment stands to protect against this kind of viewpoint discrimination."
When the airport authority was reached for comment, airport spokeswoman told U-T San Diego that it "makes it a practice not to talk about issues concerning pending litigation."
It is unclear how this potential case will unfold, but it shows that one entity may choose to reject another's custom print display. Pressure Sensitive Products can help you create a high-quality marketing campaign without causing backlash.