‘Got the blahs? Veganuary could be the cure,’ claims new PSA

Los Angeles, Dec. 30, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Veganuary – the global movement to try vegan for January and beyond – is helping cure the post-holiday blues with hope, claims a new advertisement from the nonprofit. The inspiring PSA speaks to anyone who has ever felt sluggish after the holidays, or uninspired by meals, or a sense of doom from scrolling the news on their phone – and positions Veganuary as the coach to take on any case of the ‘blahs’. The fun and 80s-reminiscent ad will be streaming across many platforms in various cities nationwide and invites everyone to sign up for Veganuary 2023.

You can watch the full video here.

The ad, directed by Paul B. Cummings and produced by Asher Brown/Pollution Studios in Los Angeles, follows a family that has fallen into a funk following the holidays, showing classic signs of ‘the blahs’ – doom-scrolling on their phones, lacking enthusiasm and motivation in the kitchen. Upon signing up for Veganuary, they are visited by their own personal “Veganuary coach” – played by vegan actress and influencer Gabrielle Reyes (@onegreatvegan) – who helps empower the entire family into a bright new year filled with delicious food. The encouraging ad will run on multiple TV stations in Atlanta, on screens in restaurants and gyms in New York City (via Atmosphere TV), and on Amazon streaming services. The PSA will be accompanied by similarly peppy and supportive ads on the subway in New York City. [JL1] 

“Climate anxiety is real, but we can’t let anxiety lead to apathy,” said Wendy Matthews, Veganuary’s US Director. “Veganuary is inviting you to choose action and choose hope this January by trying vegan for 31-days. We’ll be here to coach you through it every step of the way!”

Veganuary 2022 participants surveyed reported having improved energy (49%), improved mood (48%), and overall improvements to their health (50%) following their Veganuary challenge*.  In addition, 98% of last year’s participants noted that they would recommend Veganuary to a friend.

Everyone who registers for the challenge will receive many free resources, including daily plant-based recipes, nutrition guides, a budget meal plan, and access to discounts and special offers. Veganuary’s new podcast series launches on January 1 alongside a new 31-day YouTube series, both designed to offer people additional ways to participate along with the 31 daily coaching emails they receive when they sign-up. 2023 US participants will also receive an updated celebrity e-cookbook featuring recipes from Alicia Silverstone, Venus Williams, Ryan Eggold, and Dr. Jane Goodall.

Participants additionally gain access to a global community of supporters and participants through Veganuary’s Facebook groups. In fact, the community the challenge provides is quite important when it comes to New Year’s Resolutions, as more than half of resolvers aged 18-34 (54%) said in a recent YouGov survey** that they plan to make a New Year’s Resolution with additional support for accountability, including doing their resolutions with friends, family, as part of a group or challenge, or with outside digital resources rather than doing it alone.

Veganuary 2022 participant Judy Hamilton, age 58, Charleston, West Virginia, described the power of collective resolutions as follows, “When it comes to feeling hopeful about the future, I believe it is better to strive for the type of future we want to see than to not try. Veganuary makes me feel that I am part of a community that is trying to make a positive difference in the lives of animals.”

About Veganuary
Veganuary is a non-profit organization that encourages people worldwide to try vegan for January and beyond. It was founded in the UK in 2014 and since then nearly 2.5 million people have taken the 31-day plant-based pledge from almost every country in the world. With campaign hubs now in Germany, USA, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, India, and the UK, Veganuary has truly become a global phenomenon. This New Year’s revolution has also been embraced by businesses, with hundreds of companies taking part in Veganuary last year, launching more than 1540 new vegan products and menu items.

Veganuary is free to join, and people can sign-up at veganuary.com to receive our Celebrity eCookbook, the Official Veganuary Starter Kit, and 31 daily emails packed with nutritional info, delicious recipes, meal plans, and helpful advice. 

Notes
*Veganuary’s 2022 Participant Survey was sent by Veganuary to 87% of the 629,351 people who signed up during the 2022 campaign. 32,522 people responded (6%).

**All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1186 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 28th – 29th November 2022. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+).

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