Local activists with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals raised a toast to Heineken Monday for eliminating a wild-animal display from a promotional event being held in Los Angeles as part of the "Most Interesting Man in the World" ad campaign for Dos Equis beer.
Heineken, which distributes Dos Equis, is holding an "estate auction" on Tuesday night featuring items belonging to its fictional "Most Interesting Man in the World"' spokesman, who was last seen in a TV ad leaving on a one-way mission to Mars.
The event is the culmination of a promotional tour that is expected to wrap up the "Most Interesting Man" campaign.
According to PETA, the Los Angeles event was originally expected to include a display of animals including alligators, hawks and owls, but the company agreed to remove the display when the advocacy group complained that the animals could experience stress or suffer injury during such a public event with bright lights and cameras.
Heineken official said animal safety "is of the utmost importance to us, and we would never engage in an activity that would put any animal in harm's way."
In thanks, PETA sent the company a box of "alligator-shaped vegan chocolates."
"The Most Interesting Man in the World may also be the kindest," PETA executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "We'll be drinking Heineken at PETA's next staff meeting in honor of the brand's commitment to partying responsibly where animals are concerned."
