Tell Liberty Mutual Insurance to Pull Their Emu Ads

By Karen Davis, PhD, President of United Poultry Concerns

The long necks and excellent periscopic vision of emus enable them to survey the land for miles in all directions at once. Emu parents incubate and raise their young together. They are very gentle birds.

Dear Friends,

Liberty Mutual Insurance is running a series of TV ads featuring an emu outfitted with sunglasses, wigs and other demeaning attire. The emu is shown in front of a store window sparring with his or her reflected image and in a car reacting to a loud bang. The emu is being made fun of, but there is nothing funny about this bird’s distress and defenseless caricature in these ads. Having watched video footage of violent efforts to subdue a terrified emu for a horrible human purpose, I’m certain that the making of these ads involves violence to the emus, who would never voluntarily submit to being manhandled into wearing cruel apparel and being visually impaired with sunglasses.

I wrote to Liberty Mutual CEO, David H. Long, on Sept. 24th [read the letter] noting that emus belong to the oldest living family of birds on earth. They are gentle, friendly, desert-dwelling nomads with a strong family life in which both parents participate in nest-building and raising their young. Why should they be belittled and abused by Liberty Mutual Insurance? The company needs to pull these offensive emu ads and confine their advertising scenarios to human actors.

What Can I Do?

Ask Liberty Mutual Insurance to remove their offensive emu commercials. Violating the dignity of birds and other animals to sell insurance is unacceptable. Request a reply to your complaint.

Contact:

David H. Long, Chairman and CEO
Liberty Mutual Insurance
175 Berkeley Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02116
Phone: 617-357-9500

Customer Service

​Phone: 1-800-290-8206; 1-800-290-7933
Tweet: @AskLiberty for customer service related concerns or inquiries.

“CONTACT US” Via Liberty Mutual Insurance Website

• Go to: www.libertymutualgroup.com
• Fill Out Form
• Under Topic, click “Regarding our advertisements” button
• Add your comments to the Comments box
• Hit Submit

Jan Whalen and Bluie the Emu in Everett, Washington

Learn More about Emus and Ostriches:

Victims in the Shadows: Emus

Thank you for Taking Action for Emus
United Poultry Concerns