PETA submitted a Colin Kaepernick-inspired ad to be featured during the Super Bowl, but it reportedly didn't make the final cut. According to TMZ, PETA says the NFL pressured Fox to snub the ad, likely because of its ties to the polarizing former quarterback.
PETA's commercial features various animated animals taking a knee to protest injustice, while someone hums the Star-Spangled Banner. The animal rights organization told the outlet that it wanted the ad to call for an end to speciesism, and to "challenge people to expand their concept of injustice to include humans' injustice against other species."
PETA said the ad agency it hired to create the Kaep-inspired commercial did a good job, and the spot was pitched to Fox last month.
The organization was reportedly hopeful after a Fox commercial clearance rep told PETA on Dec. 30 that the network received the spot and was looking it over. Then, on Jan. 3, PETA was told that the ad was still being discussed internally and that Fox would get back to them soon. Yet, after multiple follow-ups, PETA hasn’t gotten a definitive word, alleging that its ad agency told them that the NFL was pushing Fox to reject the ad.
PETA has also claimed that numerous requests to run the ad either before or after the game in local Fox markets have been ignored. A league insider told TMZ that it’s the network’s call to approve or reject ads.
In a rare occurrence, PETA has managed to make people side with the NFL on this one.
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