In a recent development, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has approached the renowned paint manufacturer Farrow & Ball with an unusual request. The animal rights organization is urging the company to reconsider its paint color names, advocating for "vegan-friendly" alternatives.
Yvonne Taylor, PETA's vice president of corporate projects, addressed a letter to Joa Studholme, Farrow & Ball's color curator, proposing changes to paint names that reference animal products. For instance, PETA suggested renaming "Dead Salmon" to "Magic Mushroom" and "Au Lait" to "Lait de Coco."
Farrow & Ball, established 78 years ago by John Farrow and Richard Ball, has built a reputation for its distinctive color palette and premium pricing. Some of their five-liter paint tins retail for approximately £100, reflecting the brand's luxury positioning.
PETA's letter commended Farrow & Ball's cruelty-free practices while encouraging further steps towards inclusivity. The organization argued that updating color names could appeal to environmentally conscious consumers and align with the company's commitment to sustainability.
"Renaming animal product-monikered paints would be a fun way to appeal to more conscious consumers."
This request is part of PETA's broader campaign against what they term "speciesism," a concept introduced by Richard D. Ryder in 1970. The organization, founded in 1980 by Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco, has grown to over 6.5 million members worldwide and is known for its provocative activism.
PETA's history includes numerous attention-grabbing stunts. Recently, they called for the withdrawal of a Royal Mail stamp featuring a pug and disrupted a Vatican audience to protest bullfighting. The organization has also employed celebrity endorsements and controversial imagery to promote its cause.
While Farrow & Ball's response to this request remains to be seen, the company's recent acquisition by Ares Management Corporation in 2021 may influence its approach to such matters. As the debate over animal rights and environmental consciousness continues, the intersection of these issues with consumer products like paint colors highlights the evolving landscape of ethical consumerism.