According to some of the media reportsand industry bloggers, it sounds like Verizon has pulled their TV commercial that featured the two junk yard dog pit bulls. I'm not surprised. Ads get pulled all the time, with far less outcry than what this spot received. Congrats to the animal welfare community for making your voices heard. I think it's really important for the animal welfare community to realize how powerful their voices can be when they all speak together in one voice. Don't forget that feeling.
Now for the advertising people. I feel somewhat uniquely qualified to speak on this one as an owner of two pit bulls -- but also because I make my career working in an advertising agency. So I get that angle too.
Here's the deal:
1) Before the advertising industry gets too up in arms over the people who don't get their creativity, put yourself in their shoes for a minute. Every year, thousands of people find themselves in a unique situation where they have to fight for the right to keep their dogs. Just tonight, dozens of people lined the walls of city hall in Sioux City, IA (I have a client there) to fight against a proposed ban on the very dogs you chose to use in your ad. These people may be faced with the gut wrenching decision of whether or not to keep their dog, or keep their home. So pardon us if we get a little upset by a commercial that casts the very stereotype that has created this problem in the first place. Call us hyper-sensitive. Call us jerks. Call us unaware of your creative genius. But spend a few years in city council meetings fighting for the life of your dog and call me when you're done.
2) If you are so unaware of pop culture, public events, and the news, to have not heard of some of the horrible things that happen to these dogs you need to get out of the advertising business. Having a good, solid knowledge of pop culture and of life in general is important if you're going to create effective advertising. If you're still not aware of what these dogs have suffered through, google "Mike Vick, Pit Bull" and spend a day or two reading. BTW, the dogs are doing really well, thanks.
3) If your creative concept relies on hyping an overused stereotype, your concept is neither unique nor creative. Good creative concepts and executions surprise, fascinate or delight viewers. They create an a-ha (not the '80s band) that cause people look at something ordinary, differently. A concept that relies on the lowest-common-denominator of a stereotype fails at these tasks. Stereotypes are expected...there is nothing worse than using the expected in advertising. The animal welfare community did you a favor.
As someone that also circles the creative marketing world as a profession, I want to whole-heartedly agree with you...as well as place emphasis on your third point. Stereotypes are just plain creative laziness, not to mention offensive.
I'm happy to hear the ad is down...I just hope there are lessons learned.
Posted by: krislars | July 29, 2008 at 09:01 AM
You're dead on with your points, especially number 3. The ad was dreadful, not just for its false depiction of "pit bulls" but for its sheer mediocrity.
Posted by: Social Mange | July 29, 2008 at 09:39 PM
The fact that the Verizon ad was pulled is proof that people acting together can effect change...(I will still boycott Verizon for life... Am still boycotting Nestle for the 70's baby formula incident and I wasn't even born when that happened)
This victory is a sign of hope.
With people acting together, we can stop innocent dogs from being banned and killed and educate people about the true nature of pit bulls.
Your third point has me humming "Take on me"... I loved that video:)
Posted by: JulieRussell | July 30, 2008 at 12:35 AM
As usual well put. You're right, your perspective makes all the elements click in to place. =)
Posted by: Jeni | July 30, 2008 at 01:29 AM
Excellent, and thank you, Brent. I wrote too, but nothing as powerful and intelligently written as this. Yeah, we made a difference here, didn't we?
Posted by: Becky | July 30, 2008 at 11:42 AM
It is disgusting that the Eagles gave Vick a $7 million contract only weeks after being released! Verizon should pull its sponsorship immediately and I have organized a boycott of Verizon until they do which anybody can join here - http://www.boycottowl.com/Verizon+Wireless/7
Posted by: Kevn Weigel | August 18, 2009 at 09:31 AM