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Back in 2017, a popular food and drink brand caused a stir after penning a gushing Instagram post about dairy.

We are for good quality, proper milkwere talking whole milk. Full fat milk, it wrote. We dont use skimmed milk powder in any of our foods.

The brand went on to describe cows milk as the perfect balance of protein, good fats and natural sugars (lactose), concluding that they live life to the full, with full fat dairy products.

These words didnt come from a dairy milk or cheese company, but a supposedly progressive plant-based milk brand named Rude Health, which had, until then, been hugely popular with vegans.

The post understandably sparked outrage from vegans, most of whom had adopted the lifestyle because of the cruelty in the dairy and other animal industries. The situation was made worse when one of the brands founders called veganism modern madness, and described vegan films like What the Health as propaganda.

It was truly shocking to see a company seemingly actively try to alienate its consumer base, but Rude Health was just one of the first of a number of brands to do so.

Last week, plant-based meat alternative company THIS came under fire after posting an advert that claimed to show a number of vegans eating what they were told were real meat products (they were actually the companys vegan alternatives).

The video diluted and miscommunicated what veganism is, and THIS was heavily criticized in the comments. By showing a group of alleged vegans who are willing to eat meat, it sent a message that veganism is nothing more than a diet that can be dipped in and out of, rather than a movement seeking to end animal exploitation.

Things, again, were made worse after one of their staff members posted a picture of a bacon meal she was eating on her personal profile in response to the criticism the company had received.

She wrote: After 24 hours as a vegan punching bag, I enjoyed every mouthful of these cheesy, creamy, bacon covered pierogi. In its subsequent apology, THIS said that they were genuinely, really sorry for undermining veganism with our silly marketing vid.

THIS has since taken steps to amend and atone for this misfire in marketing, issuing a public apology.

Non-vegan companies have also used similar tactics to promote their plant-based food. When Subway released its Meatless Marinara, a plant-based version of its famous Meatball Marinara, it released an advert showing a group of meat-free members of the public taking part in a taste test.

As a joke, the woman hosting the event then told the group that shed accidentally given them the meat version. After a few moments, during which the people were shown looking understandably appalled, they were told that they were in fact the vegan versions.

These kinds of marketing tactics feed into the narrative that veganism is nothing more than a fad and something to poke fun of, which is a commonly held belief in our society. Adverts like these are likely created because of the prevailing idea that veganism is a trend, something that people are into now but probably wont be soon. There is an assumption that vegans would be able to easily laugh off eating meat, rather than being deeply upset at the thought that their ethics had been compromised.

A decision to prioritise more occasional plant-based eaters over vegans is another reason why brands could be getting their marketing so wrong. There are thought to be around 23 million flexitarians in the UK, as opposed to around 600,000 vegans.

Oatly, an oat milk brand valued at $13 billion last year, recently shied away from the vegan label in a paid-for article in the Guardian. The piece included a quote reading: As more of us move towards a plant-based life, our labels may need to shift to reflect a whole spectrum of new normals. It said that all or nothing labels like vegan can be a disincentive for us to make plant-based choices wed otherwise be open to.

Its true that veganism is all-encompassing, but the articles attempt to present that as a problem undermined the fact that its a movement to end animal cruelty and exploitation, rather than a simple dietary choice.

Oatly also caused controversy after promoting the label part-time vegan on its Instagram. This was criticized by many of its customers on the basis that ethical vegans cannot be part-time, and that being vegan means rejecting animal exploitation in every aspect of your life (where possible). Oatly later apologized, saying it was committed to bringing as many people as possible into the plant-based camp, but acknowledging that the post was a failure.

These marketing misfires expose a deep rooted misunderstanding in our society of the fact that veganism is a philosophy and movement, not a fad or trend. It also seems that some brands are trying to attract the increasing number of flexitarian and plant-based consumers at the expense of the vegan customers who built the foundations for their success.

While its of course great news that more people are making small steps to eat less animal products, that doesnt mean the vegan message should be undermined. Brands should find ways to promote their products without biting some of the hands that feed them.

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Plant-Based Food Has Gone Mainstream But Why Are Brands Still Alienating Vegans? - Plant Based News