Do chickens talk? What a silly question! Of course they do; ask any child. So maybe we shouldn’t be surprised to learn that they can read as well. We have the evidence right here: a letter composed in chicken language, signed by the Founder and CEO of Upside Foods (a human), and addressed to all chickens. The letter appeared as a full-page ad in the New York Times in November 2022 (really!). Advertising journalist Tim Nudd gives a full report on it for Muse by Clio, an advertising industry periodical.
Read it here.
EXPLORE, REFLECT, SPEAK UP.
1. Many people choose to not eat meat, and they do so for a variety of reasons—economic, religious, ecological, humanitarian, health-related, and more. The Upside Foods ad aims at one reason in particular and provides an argument that addresses it. What is the reason? Is their argument effective? Why or why not?
2. It might get lost in all the amusement, but Nudd’s report is written with a specific purpose for a specific audience. What is the purpose, and who is the audience? (You may want to explore the Muse website in general a bit to learn about its intended audience.) Point to examples from the report or the Muse website to support your conclusions. How well does Nudd achieve his intended purpose? Explain your reasoning.
3. LET’S TALK. Why stop at chickens? What about a letter to dogs? An ad for cats? Hamsters have plenty of opportunity to read the newspaper pages that line their cages. Get together with a few classmates and create a letter (or podcast, tweet, TikTok, whatever) crafted in the “language” of your target animal. Be able to explain the ad’s purpose and its intended audience. In addition, be able to explain the creative and rhetorical choices you make. (You don’t really have to come up with a polished and finished product; a sketch, outline, or storyboard will work fine.)
4. AND NOW WRITE. According to Nudd, the “approachable tone” of the Upside Foods chicken letter ad “may be strategically helpful in easing anxieties about the product.” How do you feel about lab-grown meat? Enthusiastic? Anxious? Skeptical? Adamantly opposed? (Even if you are a vegetarian with no intention of eating it, you may have some thoughts and opinions about it.) Write an essay explaining your current position on the likelihood that you would accept a meal of lab-grown chicken. Mention whether and how your opinion may have been influenced by not only the project’s FDA status as reported in Upside Foods’s letter, but also by the creative presentation of Upside Foods’s report. You may want to include some background on your politics and/or health and dietary habits, as well as relevant information from additional sources. If you do use additional sources, be sure to document them in the style that your instructor designates (MLA, APA, etc.).
LetsTalkLibrary 