ACTION ALERT

Aflac Degrades Orangutan in Recent Ad Campaign
March 25, 2008

The most recent Aflac commercial features a young orangutan creating chaos in a factory. The orangutan engages in the usual demeaning antics that great ape “actors” are forced to perform for the general public’s viewing pleasure. You can view the ad here.

What you can do:

Please contact Laura Kane at Aflac and tell her that Aflac’s new ad campaign is creatively tired and promotes animal cruelty. Let her know that exploiting an endangered species for a cheap laugh is inexcusable.

If you use Microsoft Outlook, clicking on the email link below will create a pre-written email.

Laura Kane
2nd Vice President
External Communications
Aflac World Wide Headquarters
1932 Wynnton Road
Columbus, Georgia 31999
Phone: 706-596-3493
Email: lkane@aflac.com

Sample Letter/Email

Dear Ms. Kane,

I was shocked and saddened to see a young orangutan exploited in the most recent Aflac commercial. Orangutan “actors” are taken away from their mothers at birth and subjected to physically and psychologically brutal training methods. At age 7 or 8, when they grow too strong to be dominated, they are discarded at roadside zoos and other substandard facilities, at which time their trainers seek new babies to exploit. This cycle of abuse continues to exist because of the demand created by companies such as yours.

Further, orangutans are an endangered species, and using them for entertainment purposes seriously hinders conservation efforts. I hope you will terminate this irresponsible ad campaign and choose never to exploit great apes for marketing purposes again. I look forward to hearing from you on this urgent matter.

Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]

* If you send an email, please BCC Primate Patrol at primatepatrol@chimpsanctuarynw.org for tracking purposes.