Ford Upset by Web Ad Showing Decapitation

[salin]

Ford Upset by Unauthorized Web Ad Depicting Decapitation of Animated Cat by Moonroof Hatch

The Associated Press

DEARBORN, Mich. April 18 — Ford Motor Co. is upset by the release of an Internet advertisement that depicts the decapitation of a computer-animated cat by a power moonroof hatch, saying it didn't authorize the clip.

The ad for the Sportka, a hatchback sold in Europe, shows the realistic-looking orange cat climbing on top of the car and poking its head into the open moonroof, The Detroit News reported Sunday. The hatch slides closed, the cat struggles briefly and its headless body slides to the ground.

Ford says the clip was conceived without its approval by ad agency Ogilvy & Mather as part of a "viral marketing" campaign for the Sportka. "Viral marketing," a type of e-mail marketing, is the electronic version of word of mouth, usually inviting recipients to forward an e-mail to others.

"We find this unauthorized ad totally unacceptable and reprehensible and deplore the fact that it has been unofficially issued," Ford spokesman Oscar Suris said.

more: http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Business/ap20040418_833.html

eeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

[Wonk]

1. Here's the video, for anyone who wants to see it for themselves

From this lounge thread
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=964488

:puke:
http://www.apqx89.dsl.pipex.com/Cat.mpg

[salin]

2. so ... someone at the ad firm wants to create an internet buzz

that increases name recognition for the car... comes up with this... probably (allegedly) gets nixed... and probably feels so clever (whohoo look at what I came up with) that they leaked it out anyhow.

Just glad I wasn't sitting in the room with folks brainstorming ideas to get the buzz climbing for the car... when folks started down this path. blech.

[TroglodyteScholar]

3. Any publicity...

...is good publicity.

Still, pretty tasteless. Bleh.

[bobthedrummer]

4. Virtual ritual.

eom

[DRoseDARs]

5. But it was funny!

The bird one was better, though.

That this company put out unapproved ads is what isn't acceptable here. These were meant as dark humor, as some people don't like cats (I'm a cat lover) and many hate flying sh!t-factories (aka birds), though I believe the bird used in the other ad was a pigeon aka flying rat, which most people hate anyway. Don't like the ads, don't watch them.

[RebelOne]

12. Not at least funny. And I am not a cat lover.

I just don't like seeing animal abuse, whether it is real or computer generated.

[wtmusic]

6. pretty nasty

n/t

[FlashHarry]

7. I loved it!

I loved the bird one, too. And, just for the record, I love cats.

[central scrutinizer]

8. "I want one." Senator Bill Frist

nfm

[salin]

13. lol

[frankly_fedup2]

9. Oh yeah, makes me want to buy anything from Ford

again. Idiots!

[AP]

10. That's interesting because that's how people die in SUV rollovers

Apparently, the people who survive rollovers are people who are thrown clear of their cars, but you die by being ejected half way out through the moon roof and then being cut up by the frame of your car.

You can understand why Ford might be extra sensitive to that kind of ad. You wouldn't want a jury to have that image in their head so strongly linked to Ford if they were hearing testimony about roll over deaths.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

11. Why does this make me think of Stephen King's "Pet Sematary"?