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A new pro-vegan ad is set to air at hundreds of UK cinemas, as well as on US streaming services Hulu and NBCU. Veganuary – the 31-day pledge to eat plant-based throughout January – is behind the ad, which is voiced by actor James Cromwell.
Veganuary is just around the corner, kicking off on January 1, 2022. To celebrate, and to encourage more to jump onboard, the campaign has produced its first-ever cinema ad.
Veganuary worked alongside Kilogramme Animation Studio to create the video, which depicts Bigfoot’s journey into veganism.
In the clip, Bigfoot lives alone in the woods and feels disconnected from the rest of the world and its catastrophic climate events.
That’s until his best friend, a snowman, melts to the ground. Upon realizing his own role in the climate emergency, Bigfoot decides to sign up for Veganuary.
“I realized we’re all in this together. So I decided to make some positive changes,” Cromwell, as Bigfoot, says in the clip.
“Doing my part felt great. And being part of a global community felt even better. With some help and inspiration, trying vegan for a month was easy. I heartily recommend. What have you got to lose?”
Veganuary
The ad debuted yesterday, and will be aired at more than 500 cinemas in the UK, as well as on the above streaming services, until New Year’s Day.
This is the “peak sign-up period” for Veganuary, a press release from the organization explains.
The upcoming campaign is expected to be the biggest yet. Last Veganuary, more than 582,000 people from 209 countries and territories signed up. This is around 45 percent more than the year prior, which still attracted a noteworthy 402,000 people.
Toni Vernelli is Veganuary’s international head of communications. In a statement, they said: “While shifting our diets may seem daunting, signing up to Veganuary makes it much easier as our free pledge is filled with all of the tools and resources you need to make it fun and delicious.”
James Cromwell
Like Bigfoot, Cromwell – known for his roles in Succession, Six Feet Under, and Babe – is an advocate for the campaign.
“Do the planet and yourself a favor. Take the Veganuary challenge. Make a difference with little or no effort,” Cromwell said in a statement sent to Plant Based News.
Cromwell ditched meat in the ‘70s, and went vegan in the mid-‘90s after starring in Babe.
He has repeatedly advocated for a cruelty-free lifestyle since then. The Academy Award-nominated actor was arrested at SeaWorld in San Diego in 2017 during an animal rights protest.
Further, Cromwell released a video with PETA, urging people to go vegan. He also narrated Mercy For Animals’ documentary, Farm to Fridge, which exposes the animal welfare issues rife within the meat and dairy industries.
