Chrysler pulls SUV ad with electrocuted dog

[RamboLiberal]

Source: CNN

Chrysler Group apologized on Thursday for an advertisement that showed a dog being electrocuted beside its new Dodge Nitro sports utility vehicle.

The ad, created by BBDO Netherlands which supports Chrysler's sales in the Dutch market, shows a dog being electrocuted after urinating on a Nitro's wheels. The agency is part of Omnicom Group Inc's BBDO Worldwide.

The ad, which ends with the dog going up in flames, has the tagline "charged with adrenaline." According to Chrysler, the ad was placed exclusively on the Internet.

"Chrysler Group was dismayed to discover that an advertisement created by an ad agency supporting our Netherlands Market Performance Center goes far beyond the bounds of what the company considers appropriate," Chrysler said in a statement.

The company said the ad included "fictional yet inappropriate treatment of an animal" and said it was "in extremely bad taste."



Read more: http://money.cnn.com/2007/07/20/news/companies/bc.chrysler.ad.reut/index.htm?eref=rss_topstories

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Ooops - probably tasteless and certainly bad-timing.

[Kingshakabobo]

1. File that under WTF were they thinking? I'm glad they pulled it. n/t

[rodeodance]

6. i have to wonder about the people who created this and thought it was a go!!

[BreweryYardRat]

2. Extremely inappropriate.

Good for them to pull it.

[VLC]

3. I'm not buying the "dismayed to discover" routine.

Ads are presented and approved repeatedly by the client.

Clearly what they meant to say was they are "dismayed to discover" what a negative reaction their $1 million + ad received.

[PBass]

4. Yup, advertising campaigns are analyzed, put before committees and

some of them are even market-tested. There's no such thing as an advertising that "flew under the radar" of a company.

At least they did the right thing, and will probably be more careful in the future.

[Auggie]

10. It never surprises me how stupid some of these clients are...

[Skittles]

thank you

they act as if there was no informed consent

[Skittles]

16. dupe

[Hand]

5. Didn't these idiots ever hear of "Old Yeller"?

Rule Number One: Do not kill the dog. Do not kill the dog. Do not kill the dog.

Arseholes. Hope they don't sell one of the damn things in the Netherlands or anywhere else. :grr:

[Peregrine Took]

7. Are they friggin' insane???????? n/t

[MikeNearMcChord]

8. Let me guess, the Advertising Agency that made it

was named Bad Newz Ad Agency.}(

[Solon]

9. Wasn't it Ford who ran that ad of the cat being beheaded with a sunroof of a car?

I think it ran in Europe as well, and people wonder why some of these companies can't compete in foreign markets! Who the hell did they hire as the ad agency Sadistic 13 year olds Inc.?

[angstlessk]

11. Simple solution...have Vick peeing..and getting electrocuted...

everyone is happy!

[BrklynLiberal]

14. That would be too easy a death for him. My imagined end for him sickens even me.

[Hissyspit]

12. With 9 million companion animals killed every year, I, for one, think animal abuse is a hilarious

way to sell products. :sarcasm:

(Note: U.S. statistics)

[BrklynLiberal]

13. "in extremely bad taste." hardly begins to describe the situation..

:puke: :mad:

[daleo]

15. Commercials feature transgressive behavior, to catch people's attention

This one obviously went too far, but it was no accident.

[bedazzled]

18. i never realized, that's exactly what it is!

i wondered why i can't stand to watch television, and run
screaming from the room if i accidentally see a commercial...

i'm naive, i guess. never thought they'd do that on purpose.

[Raine]

17. Disgusting

you have to have a very sick mind to even come up with such a sadist idea. x(