Website hosting company GoDaddy has pulled its planned Super Bowl ad in response to a barrage of criticism from animal rights activists.
Critics charged that the 30-second spot made light of puppy mills, and spawned a Change.org petition and condemnation from animal rescuers.
Here’s the commercial, via Adweek:
The Change petition reads:
Essentially, Go Daddy is encouraging private breeding/puppy mills while shelter animals wait patiently for their forever homes or worse – to be euthanized. They are also encouraging purchasing an animal online; the animal could be sold to someone who runs a fighting ring, someone who abuses animals, or to someone who cannot adequately care for the animal. Animal rights are no laughing matter and to portray them as such is cruel and irresponsible.
Animal rescue organizations also engaged with GoDaddy and its CEO, Blake Irving, directly on Twitter. Irving gave a full mea culpa.
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.
— Blake Irving (@Blakei) January 27, 2015
GoDaddy plans to air a separate ad in the commercial’s place.
