WESTMINSTER COMMERCIALS
Westminster Kennel Club
dog show is the show of shows. No other event so significantly marks
a show dog’s career and the glory of purebred dogs.
Please
VOTE & COMMENT below.
Staff
TheDogPress
02|22|11 -
Westminster has long been AKC’s window to the world, enticing
millions to fall in love with a breed and become owners. WKC was our
greatest marketing tool for purebred dogs and dog shows. Since the first
sight hound ran down a desert hare, proving our breeding stock meant
more demand for our bloodline and more sales.
Things change. This year, watching on big screen TV, most breeders were
appalled at the message that took precedence over the decades of
dedication represented in the big green rings of the Westminster Dog
Show.
The spectacular achievements, the glorious coats, wagging tails,
extraordinary movement and incredible examples of breed type were laid
low before the sad eyes and heart-wrenching commercials for mutts. From
the viewer’s perspective, the Pedigree Foundation made it seem self
serving, selfish to celebrate a meaningless and expensive quest for
ribbons when millions of shelter dogs are in such dire straights.
Powerful message! But then Pedigree can afford the best ad agencies.
How to assuage the guilt deliberately instilled by the bombardment?
Adopt a mutt and support the Pedigree Foundation Adoption Drive. And
feed Pedigree dog food.
I received many calls during the show, even a couple from my pet owners.
“What is that all about?” and from breeders, outrage so palatable the
phone smoked! By the second day my inbox was running over. Many posts
centered on a surprising win or good news about their dog but more than
half echoed the anger and disillusionment generated by those Pedigree
commercials!
TheDogPress has no answer to questions such as “Why didn’t Westminster
mention (not one word) about the advantages of owning a purebred dog.”
One subscriber asked “Where is equal time for purebreds???” Another
expressed outraged that Pedigree “sucked in the viewers who wanted to
see the show and then made fun of what we do.”
An old friend nailed it. “It is like MADD (Mothers Against Drunk
Drivers) being used to do Budweiser commercials!” A handler called at
the next commercial break (he didn’t have long to wait as they came with
astounding regularity) and my scribbled notes caught this “Sure they
paid to advertise and sure some show dogs eat Pedigree dog food. After
this, mine never will! Why doesn’t AKC speak up on behalf of purebred
dogs and the millions of dollars they bring to this event?” He took
another drag and said “I’ve got to get back inside but I’ll tell you
this BJ, something stinks here.”
Our media man did some surfing and to our surprise, there was very
little negative comment regarding the Pedigree commercials. Still, one
judge observed that “dog people are so intimidated that we either drop
out or shut up and go with the flow.” I called a friend who is on
Facebook and she said there’s actually quite a bit of chatter about it
and outspoken resentment over the commercials on group lists.
So is it “wrong” to use a showcase for pedigreed dogs to solicit
donations for the Pedigree Foundation? One rescue worker spelled it out:
“It is inherently wrong to promote adopting a dog that has unknown and
unpredictable personality, health, and socialization issues. Why not
tell viewers to go buy a purebred puppy and hope it grows up like those
wonderful dogs they see on their screen?” She sighed then continued “In
fact, most breeders have a mutt or two in residence. We love dogs
because of what’s in their heart, not what’s on their “papers”. We
support breed rescues, local rescue, and many I know support their local
shelter.”
Has the glorious image of Westminster been tarnished? Or were the
Pedigree commercials a noble effort to help the homeless dogs in
shelters? Tell us what YOU think!
Vote YES or
NO to the question:
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In case you missed it, here is our
Pre-Show
Coverage for Westminster
with a lot of interesting background information and photos.
http://www.thedogpress.com/ShowShots/WKC-PedigreeAds-Vote-11023.asp
