PETA Just Took Its Cruelty Campaign to Grotesque Heights

Impact

Editor's note: This story contains graphic imagery. 

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals just released a new two-minute ad that's shocking people all over the world.

In the clip, unsuspecting shoppers at a Bangkok shopping mall enter PETA's faux pop-up shop, the Leather Work, to browse the fancy leather goods. Only, the interior of the products isn't high-end silk lining — it's animal carnage.

The graphic ad aims to show people where expensive exotic skin products — such as wallets, shoes and bags — literally come from. 

Unassuming customers are shocked upon closer examination of the products. They unzip purses to find a beating heart. They slip on shoes to have their feet covered in blood. They open up wallets to see raw animal skin. 

ThePETAAsiaPacific/YouTube
ThePETAAsiaPacific/YouTube

Not exactly the best shopping experience. 

According to the campaign that the ad is a part of, animals such as pythons and crocodiles are caught or farmed and treated poorly in order to take their precious skin, especially in Asia. In 2012, the python skin trade surpassed a value of $1 billion, despite being illegal. And the demand is only growing. 

PETA is famous for employing shock tactics to make their point, but typically goes the NSFW route, like their latest Super Bowl ad campaign that compared the sexual performances of vegans to those of meat-eaters. But they're hardly averse to dropping jaws in other ways — "Holocaust on Your Plate" anyone?

The effectiveness of such campaigns is up for debate, but it'd be hard to blame someone for eschewing animal products after watching this one.

See for yourself:

Read more: PETA Is Claiming That Eating Chicken Can Make Your Son's Dick Small