Don’t Take My Cheese

Kidnapping and violence may be everyday things for fictional mob wife Carmela Soprano, but did you know that they’re horrifyingly real for mother cows? This year marks the 25th anniversary of the TV series The Sopranos, and PETA Honorary Director Edie Falco, famous for her role as Carmela Soprano, stars in our 2024 Super Bowl ad portraying the daily nightmare inflicted on mother cows in the name of cheese. The ad was directed by DeMane Davis of production company Sweet Rickey with editorial creative by EDITBAR.

“As soon as Creative Director, Writer and Artist, Christian Carl reached out and sent me the PETA script he had written I was all in,” says Director DeMane Davis. “I’ve always loved his writing- and this? Hot damn! Then add Edie Falco - THE EDIE FALCO. Then my Sweet Rickey Family graciously jumped on board as did Editbar and many other collaborators. I couldn’t be more proud to have the chance to direct this Super Bowl commercial for PETA with the home team I love.”

“Working with DeMane was so dreamy - she is extremely creative and respectful and collaborative. She’s the epitome of a great director,” shares Editor Britt Bellamy. “One of my favorite moments was going through Edie’s takes with DeMane. Her performance drew us in every time. We just had fun trying things and being blown away by the emotion of the piece.”

“I always think about what moves me,” adds Davis. “Not just as a woman who directs TV shows but as a producer for those shows, as a former advertising copywriter, as a commercial director, as a member of the viewing audience and as a human. I never want to forgo one for the other. When all of those aspects of me are satiated and I feel the crew and cast nodding their heads, I call cut. I know we have something great.”

Davis is a commercial and television director who is known for her work on the groundbreaking show Queen Sugar (OWN), NBC’s Found, For The People, The Red Line for CBS, How To Get Away With Murder, Station 19 and YOU for Netflix. She was also the Producing Director on Self Made: Inspired by The Life of Madam CJ Walker on Netflix which starred Octavia Spencer and Blair Underwood who each won NAACP Image Awards (2021). She was Co-Executive Producer/Producing Director on Clarice – the TV sequel to THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS for CBS/MGM and Naomi for Array/WB/CW about a Black teenage female superhero. Her commercial work includes American Eagle, Blue Cross, Cigna and Tidy Cat. She was formerly an agency creative.

PETA’s ad ran live on YouTube TV, delivering more than 5 million impressions to people watching instant replays, game highlights, and other Super Bowl– and sports-related content.