GoDaddy Pulls Super Bowl Ad After Outrage From Animal Advocates

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The GoDaddy puppy ad for this year’s Super Bowl has already been retracted amid backlash from animal rights group.

The ad, which features a lost golden retriever puppy, was supposed to hit “an emotional chord” with its audience. It certainly did, but just not in the way the Internet search engine assumed it would.

The commercial called “The Journey Home” features Buddy who is tossed from the back of a truck and throw a series of “adventures” must find his way home.

When Buddy finally shows up at his owner’s door step, a curly-haired woman exclaims: “Buddy! I’m so glad you made it home! Because I just sold you on this website I made with GoDaddy.” Not quite the welcoming he was expecting, we’re sure.

The next scene shows Buddy being shipped off in the back of a van being driven by GoDaddy spokeswoman and race car driver, Danica Patrick. As the door shuts, Buddy’s owner/seller cries, “Ship him out!” Not so cute, right?

Steffen Baldwin, president and CEO of the Animal Cruelty Task Force of Ohio, didn’t think so, either.

“Every year animal are euthanized across America, over 7 million each year because lifetime commitments are seen as disposable commodities, able to be bought, traded and sold like an X Box,” Baldwin said. “The callous, careless and disposable way these animals are portrayed in the GoDaddy commercial shows everything that’s wrong with the puppy industry in less than 60 seconds and minus the rows and rows of stacked cages on top of stacked cages and breeding dogs that are unable to walk on grass after living a life in a crate being bred until they no longer serve a useful purpose to the owner.”

A petition was soon launched online signed by over 35, 000 people who requested GoDaddy pull their ad.

Thankfully, GoDaddy listened.

“At the end of the day, our purpose at GoDaddy is to help small businesses around the world build a successful online presence. We hoped our ad would increase awareness of that cause. However, we underestimated the emotional response. And we heard that loud and clear,” GoDaddy CEO Blake Irving said in his announcement that the ad would not air.

Earlier this month, GoDaddy’s chief marketing officer, Barb Rechterman said: “Puppies garner more news media coverage.”

They certainly do.

As for the real-life Buddy? GoDaddy assures he’s adopted.

Via The Huffington Post