Commercials and Their Differing Views!

Since March, when I first mentioned it, this commercial was still airing its original distasteful message: that of two young children 'washing' a pet in the bathtub using a well known 'bubbles' product made for cleaning. Oh, my. Had the pup been forced into the tub, having been coloured with dye by the little girls? The message was unclear and distasteful. Regardless, the commercial shocked me in its use of comedy 'employing' defenseless animals and children, in selling a product. The ad agency had done its job. But it missed the mark: I would not be buying that product.

What messages are being painted when we use 'underage actors' to sell a product? The newest commercial continues with the tradition of using animals in shockingly inappropriate ways. A litter of unsupervised puppies with their 'mom', are frolicking in the muck and the mire of a country property, chasing a luxury vehicle, down the driveway, while its owners are nowhere to be seen. Throughout the 30-second action flick, all I see and hear are the desperate cries and erratic behaviour of 'a pile' of puppies searching for their absent or absent-minded masters. Their 'mom' is running, at top speed, to the house, seeming a mile away. One little guy is whimpering and frantic, unable to get to his destination until the someone finds him and manages to drop or toss him onto the ground to get his bearings, once again. Puppies should not be loose, anywhere near a moving car, especially one traveling at perhaps 40 miles per hour. But who cares? It's all in fun. It is a commercial, after all.

As a car owner, I would be inclined to consider another vehicle choice. The little puppy, left behind, is frightened as he searches for his siblings while facing 'extinction', in his attempts to trail-blaze his way home. His attempts to traverse insurmountable obstacles: hollowed out logs, a deep mud hole and tall grasses, in his quest to find his family, is met with frustration and fear. One barrier after another stood in his way. Was this supposed to be funny? And how does any of this stuff help sell a car? ... The vehicle is traveling faster than it would be, in a school zone, considering there is a litter of puppies running nearby. Even 'scripted' commercials can be deadly. Where is the logic here? Who thought, in their infinite wisdom, that a racing car near a litter of three-month-old puppies would not kill one or more of them, accidentally? Life is full of miscues. It is not amusing to imagine one of these infant pups ending up under the wheels of this luxury car, while filming is being done. (Is there a disclaimer: Do not do this at home.)

Occasionally, stuntmen - people who are professionals in their field of expertise and paid handsomely to perform dangerous acts in movies - are killed while rehearsing these improbable gymnastic maneuvers. The 'toddler' puppies in this poorly orchestrated commercial were on the loose, one being on the precipice of a expansive mud hole, while his litter mates disappeared, following 'mom'. The thought of placing an infant border collie on a dusty stretch of a gravel country road/driveway and then letting him go seemed funny at the time, I guess. For me, it defies all logic and reason. Was the purpose of using defenseless creatures, in this live action flick, to avoid the exorbitant fees for services rendered? Adults would have been paid. There seems to be no boundaries in television programming today. Why should commercials be any different?

Commoditizing innocent little animals or children has reached lows today. Is common sense on sabbatical when using underage actors to sell a product or service? The whimpering sounds of these newborn puppies were not amusing. Their illicit cries to buy failed. But just when I thought today's advertising protocols had hit rock bottom two commercials are being shown that give me hope. Respect for the 'actors' and the audience have risen. Intelligent and funny are here again. 

A company known for its world-wide security systems -AlarmForce - is advertising its service using a large breed adult dog, named Ned, perhaps a Great Dane, without using inappropriate stage 'props' to showcase their message. Ned, the giant adult family dog is seen in many poses, moaning a bit, comically, here and there, acting as a surrogate family watch dog and not succeeding very well in that arena. In the 30-second clip, Ned is seen attempting to lift his head while lying on the floor, on the bed with feet outstretched on the family's pillows, and then on the sofa, advertising the need for a home security system, which the producers of the commercial make very clear, is not Ned. The message was intelligent, cute and so funny. We waited for the replay of this breath of fresh air. (Unfortunately, my husband has not seen Ned's comedic routine). The inference: the alarm company will keep you safe, not Ned.

In another 10 second slot, a cartoon character,  affectionately called a fraggle by my husband, is seen  outside eating chocolate from the advertising giant, Cadbury, while a catchy tune plays in the background. He then begins to dance. The rest of his group of 'fraggles', cute little innocent and playful characters from a show from our children's past, begin to dance vigorously, too, as they eat this delicious chocolate treat. In synchronized fashion, all 'fraggles' dance to the happy music being played while the slogan, 'Free the Joy' is splashed across the television screen. This commercial was a hit with us. ... This message, like Ned's, grabbed our attention, showing us that well-executed forms of intentional entertainment punctuated with streaks of genius are possible. My husband lamented for the commercial to be longer. I wish both were a movie!