Verizon Wireless pulls controversal pit-bull ad
August 1 2008 - 10:57 am ET | Rupal Parekh | Advertising Age
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Verizon Wireless is the latest marketer to yank an ad deemed offensive, in what has become a minor trend of marketers caving to pressure from advocacy groups.
The ad, a 30-second spot from Interpublic Group of Cos.' McCann Erickson for the LG Electronic Co. Ltd. Dare phone, depicts two ferocious pit bulls barking at a young man who climbed a junkyard fence in the hope of touching the phone. The dogs lunge at the man, but are cut short by their heavy chains.
PETA and other animal-rights groups slammed the commercial as promoting animal cruelty, arguing that chained dogs are deprived of social interaction and forced to endure weather extremes, adding that the spot perpetuated stereotypes against pit bulls as a violent breed.
Change of tune
Agreeing to remove the spot from the air is a change of tune for the Basking Ridge, N.J., telecommunications giant. As of late last week Verizon Wireless said it intended to keep running the commercial, which it earlier defended as "fictional" and "designed to be over-the-top, to break through the clutter and get our message across."
According to PETA, Verizon made an about-face after the animal-rights group issued an "action alert" that spurred more than 7,000 e-mails to Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg. "Verizon was right to pull an ad that showed chained dogs when cities and states are busy outlawing chaining," PETA VP Daphna Nachminovitch said in a statement. "The day of the 'junkyard dog' is over, and 'man's best friend' deserves better than being chained up like a bicycle and used as a burglar alarm."
McCann representatives declined to comment on the matter, referring calls to Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Raney, who told AdAge.com: "There were two commercials [for the 'Dare You to Touch One' campaign]; the other one is in circulation right now."
Latest to pull ad
Verizon Wireless is only the most recent company to face intense public scrutiny for its ads. Blue-chip marketers such as Heinz, Mars Inc. brand Snickers and Nike in recent days were all accused of utilizing advertising that is offensive to gays -- and all succumbed to the pressure by halting the controversial work.
Just last week, Snickers stopped running a U.K. spot out of AMV BBDO in London that showed Mr. T machine-gunning candy bars at an effeminate man, culminating with the tagline "Snickers. Get Some Nuts."
In Snickers' wake, Nike pulled a series of ads for its Hyperdunk basketball sneakers created by longtime agency Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, Ore. In one execution, the crotch of one player mid-flight is pressed against the face of another with the tagline "That Ain't Right."
Rupal Parekh is a reporter for Advertising Age, a sister publication to RCR Wireless News. Both publications are owned by Crain Communications Inc.
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August 16, 2008 04:05 pm
I think people seriously needs to get a life its not like it was something that was really taking place i agree with the other guy do something constructive go join a gym or something thats how people get fat by sitting around watching tv and complaining bout every little thing
August 11, 2008 06:03 am
Really? That's stupid. People are way too sensitive these days. WAY too sensitive. I work for a wireless company that's being taken over by Verizon and I think the commercial should be fine. What about the Alltel commercial with Chad and the wizard and the Thugs? Where at the end the Wizard summons the doberman. Is Peta all over that one? Doubt it...I see it on TV everyday. get a life and a real job.
August 6, 2008 04:33 pm
I am glad the Verizon pulled the ad depicting "junk-yard dogs." No dog should ever have to live on a chain or in a junk yard.Now, I can keep Verizon as my carrier for my company, DSL, home and cell.Running that ad was enough to make me start looking for a new carrier.
August 1, 2008 02:33 pm
HAHA.. uR funny
August 1, 2008 02:33 pm
And that's the reason the ad needed to be pulled. Because of the ignorance of people as represented by the posters so far to this story.
August 1, 2008 02:33 pm
Maybe they should have added to the end "No animals were harmed in making of this commercial". People are way too sensitive these days. Lighten up! It was, after all, just a stupid commercial! How about turning off the TV & doing something constructive?
August 1, 2008 02:33 pm
Whatever...
August 1, 2008 02:33 pm
The only part of this srticle that made me smile was the Snickers tagline. Spend less time on dogs and feed the people living under the bridge you are picketing across.
August 1, 2008 12:07 pm
Wow 7000 people. Not like they'd use a cellphone anyway, soy latte drinking freaks. Everyone knows cellphones are responsible for cancer and kill bumble bees.Disapointed in verizon on this one.
August 1, 2008 11:03 am
Pit Bulls and Cell Phones is just horrible advertising. I mean a pitbull with a bluetooth perhaps, but there execution was lacking...good thing they yanked it!