GoDaddy.com has decided to pull their upcoming Super Bowl commercial because it has caused animal rights protestors to go into an uproar.
“Lost Dog” was the name of the advertisement, which depicts a golden retriever puppy, getting bumped out of a moving pickup truck. The puppy then voyages through inclement weather and over obstacles to return home, who is greeted with joy from his owners. The catch is that his owner’s are excited to see the young pup because they are dog breeders and have sold the puppy on GoDoaddy.com.
The commercial definitely has caused some commotion; while some animal rights groups have claimed that the commercial supports puppy mills and other “inhumane breeding” practices, others went to social media to state, “If you can buy a puppy online and have it shipped to you the next day, it’s likely you’re supporting inhumane breeding. #GoDaddyPuppy,” PETA stated, “anyone who sells a dog online is a callous jerk.”
The commercial is said to be a mockery on the popular Budweiser commercial that aired last year during the Super Bowl, which was entitled, “Puppy Love.” Budweiser has planned to release a sequel to the popular advertisement this year, and is the inspiration for the GO Daddy commercial.
GoDaddy CEO Blake Irving decided Tuesday to give up the advertisement after countless YouTube comments bashed the ad, and more than 42,000 people signed a petition for the company to not air the ad this Sunday.
Irving responded to the numerous animal rights group in an email which he states, “Thank you @animalrescuers for the candid feedback. What should have been a fun and funny ad clearly missed the mark and we will not air it.” After more comments came in the CEO posted an elaborated response on their website with the headline, “We’re Listening, Message Received.”
The CEO has stated what has happened to the dog, named Buddy, after all this, and that we should not worry about his well being. Irving states, “Finally, rest assured, Buddy came to us from a reputable and loving breeder in California. He’s now part of the GoDaddy family as our Chief Companion Officer and he lives permanently with one of our longtime employees.”
Photo Credit: GoDaddy.com
