Veganuary, the global movement inspiring people to try veganism for the month of January and beyond, has once again captured the spotlight with its daring 2025 marketing campaign.

Aptly themed “Weird,” the campaign challenges societal norms surrounding animal-based food consumption by reframing them as peculiar, unnatural, and worthy of reconsideration.

Founded in the UK in 2014 by Jane Land and Matthew Glover, Veganuary is a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging people to adopt a vegan lifestyle for at least 31 days. The initiative is strategically placed in January, a time when people are motivated to make New Year’s resolutions and embrace healthier habits. Veganuary provides participants with free resources, including recipes, meal plans, nutritional tips, and practical advice, to help them transition to a plant-based diet.

Over the years, Veganuary has grown into a global phenomenon, with campaigns active in 20 countries and counting. By 2024, the initiative had engaged approximately 25 million participants worldwide, with many continuing their vegan journey beyond January. In 2025, it is set to grow further by expanding to new countries such as Peru, Malaysia, and Canada.

The 2025 campaign marks a bold departure from traditional vegan advocacy, opting for a provocative approach to challenge the normalization of consuming animal products. The campaign features eye-catching visuals and thought-provoking messages that encourage viewers to question their dietary choices.

One striking ad shows a pig with a sausage for a body, accompanied by the caption:

“Sausages are literally pigs stuffed into their own intestines. Kind of weird, right?”

Another ad features a cow-print mug with udders protruding from the top, with a caption:

“Cows make milk to feed their baby calves, just like our mothers do for us. Maybe it’s time to wean off dairy and skip the udders?”

By presenting familiar foods in an unconventional light, the campaign seeks to disrupt ingrained perceptions and prompt reflection.

As Toni Vernelli, Veganuary’s International Head of Policy and Communications, explains: “Most of us see the food we grew up with as ‘normal,’ but when we stop to ponder the practices behind many familiar foods, they start to look a little bit weird.”

“Veganuary is asking everyone to face the startling reality of how our food choices impact animals and the planet and consider whether trying vegan for January might just be a little less weird.”

For generations, we’ve been taught that consuming animal products is not only normal but essential for our health. Messages ingrained in us from childhood—like the belief that milk is indispensable for strong bones or that meat is the only reliable source of protein—have shaped our perceptions of food. These ideas have been perpetuated so deeply that we rarely stop to question them.

But does tradition justify practice? Just because something has been done for centuries doesn’t mean it’s right. Many of the habits we’ve inherited, from eating animals to exploiting them for dairy and eggs, stem from outdated beliefs rather than scientific necessity or ethical consideration.

The truth is, plant-based diets can provide all the nutrients we need to thrive, without the environmental destruction or animal suffering tied to animal agriculture. It’s time to ask ourselves: Why do we continue to accept these “normal” eating habits without question? If we can nourish ourselves in a way that aligns with compassion and sustainability, isn’t it worth exploring?

Progress often begins with questioning the familiar and daring to see things differently. Perhaps what’s truly “Weird” is not questioning at all.

Sign up for the challenge at veganuary.com.