Mutilated animals in charity advertisements

[thesloppy]

I think it's reprehensible that we now have 2 or 3 different charitable organizations that have full-length advertisements that are basically just extended shots of mutiliated/tortured/neglected animals. I certainly don't want to see that shit, and god-forbid if I had a child, I'd have to spend all my energy, all-day long, flicking channels to try and make sure their nightmares weren't filled with images of one-eyed cats, malnourished horses, or clubbed baby seals.

Do these ads bother anybody else, or am I being overly sensitive?

[Warhammer]

I think this is one time I'm up for sloppy seconds.

[JediKooter]

They must be using PETAs marketing department. Yes, they bother me, not only because I don't want to see a hurt animal, but, I really don't appreciate the guilt trip they are trying to pull by showing those animals in that condition.

I don't live in a vacuum, I know animals are abused, I know people can be cruel, just ask for support without the SHOCK factor and I'd be more open to helping out.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

I think it's reprehensible that we now have 2 or 3 different charitable organizations that have full-length advertisements that are basically just extended shots of mutiliated/tortured/neglected animals. I certainly don't want to see that shit, and god-forbid if I had a child, I'd have to spend all my energy, all-day long, flicking channels to try and make sure their nightmares weren't filled with images of one-eyed cats, malnourished horses, or clubbed baby seals.

Do these ads bother anybody else, or am I being overly sensitive?

So, you're watching a lot of the NHL Network too, eh? It's either those, like the one featuring Sarah McLachlan, Hair Club For Men, some Bowflex knock-off, or NHL Center Ice commercials. I know them well.

These are commercials for charitable organizations who collect money to help abused animals and try to prevent this stuff. What else are they going to show? It's like those old Sally Struther's commercials showing hungry kids in Africa and asking you to help them for less than cup of coffee today.

I don't particularly like the commercials you mention and they make me sad, but they don't really make me angry. I find those Hair Club For Men and that Bowflex knock-off commercials far, far more annoying.

[RedKingGold]

The SPCA asked Pumpy for comment.

He declined.

[Bad-example]

I hate these ads. The worst part is that the songs they inflict upon us are inevitably more painful than the images.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Bad-example

I hate these ads. The worst part is that the songs they inflict upon us are inevitably more painful than the images.

Psh. That Sarah McLachlan song is beautiful.

Fail.

[Bad-example]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Psh. That Sarah McLachlan song is beautiful.

Fail.

LOL

Different strokes and all, but really...that is one rancid tune.

[lungs]

I think I've said it before somewhere else, but I know in one advertisement used by the Humane Society of the United States (not the same as your local HS!) they show a forklift moving a cow and the cow bellering in pain.

Problem is the cow is dead. When they lift her with the forklift, the neck remains completely stiff. That's rigor mortis, folks. Then they overdubbed a sound clip of a cow bellering for effect.

I don't move any of my living cows with forklifts but you damn straight if one dies I'm going to use a forklift.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

if I had a child, I'd have to spend all my energy, all-day long, flicking channels to try and make sure their nightmares weren't filled with images of one-eyed cats, malnourished horses, or clubbed baby seals.

I've yet to see one of these ads, but if you had a child, you'd spend most of your tv watching time already avoiding ads for enhancing your sex life and/or improving your erection.

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by lungs

Humane Society of the United States (not the same as your local HS!)

Hmmmm, I had no idea that those were separate entities...learn something new every, uhhhhhh, three or four years. Didn't know about the dead cow either, blech, that's some manipulative crap.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Samdari

I've yet to see one of these ads, but if you had a child, you'd spend most of your tv watching time already avoiding ads for enhancing your sex life and/or improving your erection.

I dunno, most of those commercials are pretty subtle about the overall message. Perhaps there are more explicit ones, since I don't watch all that many commercials. But the ones I recall have like old people inexplicably sitting in side-by-side porcelain bath tubs on the beach watching the sun set.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I dunno, most of those commercials are pretty subtle about the overall message. Perhaps there are more explicit ones, since I don't watch all that many commercials.

Nothing subtle about the Extenze spots, nor particularly subtle about Smilin' Bob either (depending upon the age of the kids).

Between those, the Booty Call 900 ads, and the Axe body wash, I'm pretty much down to two choices: don't let my kid watch any live TV except Nick or just give the hell up & deal with some of the crap that's allowable in commercials. On the bright side at least it's created a couple of unexpected comedy moments at my house in the past year or so.

I can't remember which commercials they were (I'm thinking one was for Axe, can't recall the other) but from the couch I've heard my son finally get tired of the constant barrage of sexual ads and offer "yeah, like that's really gonna work" (about the Axe ads) and something to the effect of "I doubt she's really that desperate". Kids really do say the darndest things sometimes

[Rizon]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Psh. That Sarah McLachlan is beautiful.

Yes

[RainMaker]

The ads work though. I feel like shit everytime I see it and it makes me want to save a dog or something.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

The ads work though. I feel like shit everytime I see it and it makes me want to save a dog or something.

Kathy Griffin?

[Greyroofoo]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

The ads work though. I feel like shit everytime I see it and it makes me want to save a dog or something.

Well then you need to do your part and tell your congressman to tax the rich and give the money to PETA

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

Kathy Griffin?

?

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

?

Saving a dog.

[Pumpy Tudors]

maybe i can just die

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I dunno, most of those commercials are pretty subtle about the overall message. Perhaps there are more explicit ones, since I don't watch all that many commercials. But the ones I recall have like old people inexplicably sitting in side-by-side porcelain bath tubs on the beach watching the sun set.

They are not graphic porn, but they do constantly use the words "sex" and "erection" - neither of which I particularly want my kids hearing (or repeating). They listen, they learn, they repeat.

Edit: And the only thing my kids watch thats not on Disney or Nickelodeon is live sports, and most of that on weekend afternoons, or from 7-7:30 in the evening. And they are bombarded with ads for products promising them a more satisfying sexual experience.

[BYU 14]

If I had young kids still, I would rather have them see those commercials than the tripe from extenze and the plethora of other ads promising to make me larger and wider to give women "that incredible stretch they need"

They tear me up too, but then again I am an animal lover. Maybe in a way these spots could have a postive affect on younger viewers, if they instill sympathy for animals into them and help insure they treat animals right when they grow up. Yes, I realize most of this falls on us as parents and the way we raise our kids, but it still raises awareness and creates an opportunity to talk about something productive with a child.

Plus, I would rather have to have a conversation about abused animals, than be called down to meet with a third grade teacher my child just asked if she thinks thicker and wider is better.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

Plus, I would rather have to have a conversation about abused animals, than be called down to meet with a third grade teacher my child just asked if she thinks thicker and wider is better.

Naturally I'm reminded here of one of my favorite jokes from the past twenty years or so ... about the two kindergarten boys walking home from school when one says "I found a condom on the veranda last night" and the second one asks "What's a veranda?"

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by Samdari

They are not graphic porn, but they do constantly use the words "sex" and "erection" - neither of which I particularly want my kids hearing (or repeating). They listen, they learn, they repeat.

Edit: And the only thing my kids watch thats not on Disney or Nickelodeon is live sports, and most of that on weekend afternoons, or from 7-7:30 in the evening. And they are bombarded with ads for products promising them a more satisfying sexual experience.

Yes, same here. It seems to me that watching an afternoon football game should be a safe family outing. But the commercials are horrible. CSI commercials with strippers, dead bodies and blood, sexually suggestive commercials. It's a pain in the ass.

[flounder]

Dead puppies aren't much fun.

[Rizon]

Originally Posted by flounder

Dead puppies aren't much fun.

Though the thought of them does help my stamina when I feel I'm about to bust a nut while nailing my girlfriend.

[stevew]

I'm so tired of these commercials. I'll be in the other room, and the faint playing of Sarah Mclachlan will catch my attention. And I'll know that puppies are going to die and get hurt.

Then I look at my new puppies and tell them that if they don't start shitting/pissing on the pads at a flawless rate, that Sarah will be coming for them too.

[thesloppy]

So, rather than decreasing, I see there's now like forty different long forms of these damn things. Can these be outlawed? They'll actually send you pictures of an animal in a shelter now, if you 'sponsor' one....what the hell is that? Does that even make sense? Are you paying for it to stay in shelter? You're certainly paying for it to be photographed in a shelter, which doesn't seem like the most efficient use of resources.

[thesloppy]

Just to sate my curiosity, I did like ten minutes of research on the SPCA, just to double check if they were worthy of my scorn. According to this article, the SPCA is an AIP F-rated charity that used a whopping 8% of their proceeds towards their cause in 2009, and spent $128 for every $100 raised:

SPCA International - charitywatch.org

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

I think it's reprehensible that we now have 2 or 3 different charitable organizations that have full-length advertisements that are basically just extended shots of mutiliated/tortured/neglected animals. I certainly don't want to see that shit, and god-forbid if I had a child, I'd have to spend all my energy, all-day long, flicking channels to try and make sure their nightmares weren't filled with images of one-eyed cats, malnourished horses, or clubbed baby seals.

Do these ads bother anybody else, or am I being overly sensitive?

I hate seeing Pro-Choice people waving pictures aborted baby fetuses.

[Sun Tzu]

Don't you mean Pro-Life?

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

The ASPCA (Sarah McLachlan ad) got negative press up here in Boston recently. The local MSPCA criticized them because people thought giving the ASPCA money would help local animals; it does not.

Boston Globe article