A common strategy used by 'Big Animal Ag' is appealing to our aspirational identities and national pride. For example, championing ‘British meat and dairy’ by connecting British 'beef' to patriotism, using Union Jacks to evoke tradition and national pride. We can do the same with our messaging. Right now, veganism isn’t seen as something to aspire to. We need to reframe veganism — not as an individual lifestyle choice, but as a collective act of solidarity. A way of living that reflects who we are and what we stand for. Ethical living isn’t about giving things up; it’s about standing up for all life and boycotting violence. It’s about being the kind of person who refuses to support harm, and instead supports freedom and compassion.
ANIMAL THINK TANK: One of our movement’s biggest challenges is overshadowing the harmful narratives pushed by industries that profit from exploiting animals — narratives designed to make the public believe this is natural, normal, necessary, even nice. Big Animal Ag spends billions shaping these beliefs through ads, packaging, media and culture. By understanding how their narratives work, and why they stick, we can empower our own narrative strategy, while exposing the lies and harms of Big Animal Ag…
Tactic #1: The industry has co-opted the welfare narrative:
Our movement has done an incredible job of making the public care about the welfare of farmed animals. Big Animal Ag saw this as a threat to its very survival—and has worked to spin it in its favour. Over decades, it has strategically co-opted the welfare narrative to maintain public trust and legitimacy.
One clear example is the widespread use of welfare labels like ‘free-range’, ‘humane’, ‘animal welfare approved’, and RSPCA Assured. These labels give the impression it’s possible to make ethical choices, while hiding the violence and exploitation at the heart of farming and slaughter…
So what can our movement do?… Stories of liberation or footage of animals now living in sanctuary, this can help move people beyond a ‘welfare’ frame and into a ‘freedom’ frame. We need narratives the industry can’t easily co-opt—ones that keep pushing towards animal freedom. At Animal Think Tank, we’re exploring framings like: ‘The freedom to live/thrive/play/be with family’ and ‘The best interests of animals’…
Tactic #2: Big Animal Ag pretends it’s little:
The industry works hard to portray the image that it’s made up of small, local family farms, reinforcing the message through misleading advertising and ‘food’ labels that use fake farm names to disguise its factory-farmed origins.
So what can our movement do?… We can learn from anti-tobacco and environmental campaigns, which have exposed how they’re up against harmful corporate industries by framing them as ‘Big Tobacco’ and ‘Big Oil’. We can do the same by framing the industry as ‘Big Animal Ag’, to highlight that this is an industry ruled by a few unethical corporations…
Tactic #3: Big Animal Ag frames itself as pro-farmers:
The industry conceals its corporate identity and frames itself as being owned and run by small farmers. It strategically positions itself as an ally and advocate for farmers, effectively masking how it exploits farmers, and how many farmers are struggling because of corporate interests…
So what can our movement do?… Stockfree Farming has undertaken research (that will be coming out later this year) that reveals how people who farm animals have worse mental health than arable farmers. As a movement, we need to be sharing farmers’ experiences…
Tactic #4: The industry taps into our aspirational identities:
Another common strategy used by Big Animal Ag is appealing to our aspirational identities and national pride — championing ‘British meat and dairy’, and emphasising the role of locally produced British ‘meat’ in a so-called balanced diet… British ‘beef’ is patriotism, using Union Jacks, rustic aesthetics and butcher – style aprons to evoke tradition and national pride…
So what can our movement do?… Connecting with people’s aspirational identities is a challenge for our movement. Right now, veganism isn’t seen as something to aspire to… We need to reframe veganism — not as an individual lifestyle choice, but as a collective act of solidarity. A way of living that reflects who we are and what we stand for. Ethical living isn’t about giving things up; it’s about standing up for all life and boycotting violence. It’s about being the kind of person who refuses to support harm, and instead supports freedom and compassion.
Many people already see themselves this way. Our research found that invoking our shared identity as a nation of animal lovers increased public support for banning factory farming…
Tactic #5: The industry does extensive message-testing:
These industry narratives aren’t accidental — they’re the result of careful crafting through focus groups and market research. Advertisers test words, phrases and storylines to find what best deflects criticism and wins public support..
So what can our movement do?… We can take a page from Big Animal Ag’s playbook. Just as they lead with shared values rather than facts and figures, so can we. It doesn’t matter that they’re selling a product and we’re standing for a cause—we’re both trying to connect with the same people. The values they appeal to are the same ones we can draw on to inspire support for animal freedom…
Tactic #6: Big Animal Ag exploits our psychological vulnerabilities:
Take ‘Got Milk?’—a campaign that splashed celebrities with milk moustaches across magazines and TV for two decades. Launched in the 1990s to counter falling milk sales, it used humour and celebrity appeal to make cows’ milk feel ‘cool’ and essential, tapping into our need to belong. The slogan itself plays on loss aversion — the idea that people fear losing something more than they value gaining it…
So what can our movement do?… Just as the ‘Got Milk?’ campaign used psychology to its advantage, we can do the same with our messaging. Take loss aversion: by highlighting what we stand to lose as a global community if we don’t change how we treat fellow animals, we can tap into that fear of loss…
Tactic #7: Big Animal Ag funds biased research:
Behind the scenes, the industry quietly funds research to shape public opinion in its favour. When faced with ethical, environmental or health criticism, it bankrolls ‘friendly’ academics to downplay concerns. After a UN report linked farming animals to climate change, the industry swiftly funded studies to challenge the findings…
So what can our movement do?… To counter the influence of industry-funded research, we need to continue exposing where the money flows and whose interests are being served. Groups like DeSmog, Sentient Media, Freedom Food Alliance and Unearthed (Greenpeace’s investigative journalism unit) are doing vital work uncovering how the animal agriculture industry manipulates science, sponsors ‘friendly’ academics, and co-opts public discourse…
Tactic #8: Legal actions and political lobbying:
When marketing isn’t enough to control the narrative, Big Animal Ag turns to legal and political power to suppress dissent. In the US, ag-gag laws criminalise undercover investigations and whistle-blowing, keeping the public in the dark… Through lawsuits, lobbying and strategic misinformation, the industry works to silence critics and protect its interests—no matter the cost…
So what can our movement do?… We need to confront the political power of Big Animal Ag with the same urgency they use to hide the truth. That starts by exposing how deeply they’re embedded in our political systems—and how their lobbying undermines democracy and public interest.
Groups like Open Secrets and Corporate Europe Observatory are tracking how these industries influence policy behind closed doors… But we also need to go further — by backing bold, practical solutions. That means supporting citizens’ assemblies on plant-based food and farming, lobbying reform, and public investment in just transitions…
In conclusion,… These industries rely on secrecy. Every time someone shares undercover footage, challenges misleading ads, or exposes hidden lobbying, it chips away at the illusion. Journalists and whistle-blowers take real risks to bring this to light—and we must defend their right to do so.
Still, it’s not enough to expose the lies—we need to take control of the narrative. Just as industry polishes its messaging, we can refine ours… We can test what works, tailor how we speak to different audiences, and grow support for animal freedom… Narrative change takes time—but it’s already happening. And by being smart, strategic and connected, we can speed it up. We can build the narrative power our movement needs. SOURCE…
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