This commercial for Verizon Wireless was removed from the air after complaints from a conservative men’s rights organization called His Side. The organization organized a protest on the basis that the commercial portrayed Dads as stupid:
This second ad was pulled after protests organized by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Members claimed that not only is chaining dogs cruel, but that chained dogs are more likely to be aggressive. Thus the ad trivializes animal cruelty at the same time that it reinforces the idea that pitbulls are particularly aggressive dogs.
I am intrigued by the parallel incidents and I wonder if you, Readers, have any insights as to how they might be usefully compared.
Do you have different initial gut-level reactions to the two protests? (I did.) What is your reaction and why?
Does one population deserve more protection than the other? Does one need more protection than the other? Is one ad inherently more offensive than the other?
Is either group — His Side or PETA — being overly sensitive? How do you determine this?
How do you feel about Verizon’s response? In both cases, the ads were pulled after protests. Is this good? Is it weak?
(Commercials via MultiCultClassics.)
