PETA, purported to be the largest animal rights group in the world, has given a short-term sales boost to McDonald’s despite years of conflict between the two organizations.

The marketing strategy saw PETA teaming up with McDonald’s operators in Texas and California to buy 10,000 McPlant burgers, free from dairy cheese and mayo, for a giveaway campaign that began last month. 

The bigger picture

Concerning the unlikely collaboration, PETA shared: “Ordering a McPlant at a drive-through is no biggie to us, but it’s a matter of life and death for cows and perhaps for the buyer…

“PETA’s gift to thousands of people may introduce them to a healthier way to eat and show them how easy and delicious it is to grab a vegan meal these days.”

Joey Blanton, a McDonald’s franchisee in Texas, said that the PETA giveaway resulted in an “uptick” in sales. Blanton told Bloomberg, “PETA bought basically a bulk purchase for them to give away, that alone helped our numbers on the units sold per week.”

Marley Delgado, a coordinator for PETA’s McPlant campaign, also spoke to Bloomberg about the campaign. Delgado explained that the McPlant has the potential to “save millions of animals’ lives, which is our ultimate goal.” They added: “It’s helping sales, getting the word out there.”