Westminster Dog Show 2012 Replaces Pedigree Ads With Nestle Purina PetCare

NEW YORK -- Pet lovers won't have to look away anymore when those heart-wrenching TV ads appear during the Westminster dog show – the ones with the pitiful little faces peering out from behind those rusted bars of a cage and wondering "how I ended up in here."

Happy dogs will rule the air waves this year, thanks to a new sponsor for America's most prestigious dog competition and a decision to air ads that shift the focus away from sad-eyed animals in need of adoption.

"The feedback we got from our primary audience was that they were seeing commercials that made them want to turn the channel," Westminster spokesman and longtime TV host David Frei said Thursday.

Nestle Purina PetCare is the new sponsor for America's most prestigious dog competition that begins Monday at Madison Square Garden, replacing Pedigree after 24 years. The switch will bring a shift in the tone of the television commercials that drew nearly as much attention as who won best in show.

Gone will be the haunting music and woeful pictures of dogs with pleading eyes wasting away at the pound, hoping to be adopted. Instead, Purina's main spots will feature dogs running on the beach, catching a Frisbee, frolicking in the snow and riding a surfboard.

Frei said he thought the Pedigree commercials took the wrong approach, backed by viewers who either muted the spots or flipped the channel and didn't turn back.

"Show me an ad with a dog with a smile. Don't try to shame me," he said. "We told them that and they ignored us."

He added: "Our show is a celebration of dogs. We're not promoting purebreds at the expense of non-purebreds. We celebrate all dogs," he said. "When we're seeing puppies behind bars, it takes away from that. Not just because it's sad, but it's not our message."

More than 2,000 purebred champion dogs are entered in the 136th Westminster Kennel Club show, with the winner to be chosen Tuesday night. Each evening at the Garden, an announcement is read over the public-address system encouraging people to visit shelters and adopt a pet.

The commercials air on USA Network and CNBC, which share coverage of the event. About 3.4 million viewers watched last year when a Scottish deerhound called Hickory won.

Pedigree was "surprised and disappointed" when it was dropped by Westminster, senior brand manager Lisa Campbell said.

Campbell said Westminster had made it clear in recent years "that we had become too focused on adoptions." She acknowledged that the ads struck a nerve and said there are other ways to encourage pet adoption.

She was certain, though, that the ads were effective. Campbell said shelters around the country had thanked Pedigree for raising the plight of homeless dogs. She said 4 million dogs get put in shelters each year and only half make it out. Among those who found a home was Sweet Pea, the pug mix she regularly takes to work with her.

"Westminster has been a great platform for us," she said. "We were able to tap into a dog-loving audience."

Melissa Martellotti, spokeswoman for parent company Mars Petcare US, said Pedigree had contributed $7 million to the pet adoption cause since 2006.

Frei said Westminster has input into the commercials Purina will show during its multiyear deal as a sponsor. He said Westminster had the same understanding with Pedigree, "but things that ended up on the air were not what we were led to believe."

Purina had long maintained a presence at Westminster and became a partner last June. Candy Caciolo, the company's portfolio director of specialty, breeder and pet acquisition, arrived in New York on Thursday, minus her two standard poodles, Peaches and Anne.

The companies and show officials declined to say how much Purina or Pedigree paid to secure advertising rights.

Caciolo said next week's ads had been in development for quite a while. While Purina was aware of the reaction Pedigree's commercials elicited over the years, "it wasn't really an issue for us," she said.

Purina's ads are based on a theme: Inside every good dog is a great dog. Its main 60-second spot shows lots of wagging tails – there are therapy dogs, rescue dogs, guide dogs, show dogs, household pets and a playful pooch greeting a serviceman.

Said Caciolo: "We're unleashing a new direction."

Comments

[onestarent]

04:08 PM on 02/17/2012

So why does the video that Huffington put with this article focus on stray dogs in the United Kingdom when the article is about the Westminster Kennel Clug dog show held in and representative of the dog show scene/business in the United States? (and the following one was about stray dogs in Thailand). Hmmmm....could it be the stray dog problem in the U. S. is not as prevalent as some would have the general public believe? Why then do they have to go to foreign countries for their video's? I'd cry slanted journalism, if the story is about a dog show in America, show us and focus on the dog problem in America, not another country! Unless the problem does not really exist in America. Just sayin!

[kkt811]

01:17 PM on 02/16/2012

How about an ad that shows a happy friendly dog with her new person and says "Best Friends Available at Your Local Shelter" Jeez. was that hard?

[Gloria Diaz]

09:38 AM on 02/16/2012

I worked for a dog magazine, and I lost respect for breeders after I read an article the publication ran about a breeder who bred two blue Shelties together and destroyed the puppies because they were the "wrong color." Giving them away would have harmed the breeder's reputation. That's why they euthanize them. Giving them homes would have amounted to the breeder realizing they had "made a mistake". Imagine the uproar if humans felt that way! To the breeders there's only one kind of dog that counts, and that's the purebred. I know. The lady who published the magazine was a total snob about that and felt the same way towards people. I didn't work there very long!

[keepin it realpolitik]

04:30 PM on 02/16/2012

Yes, the smart thing to do is base your opinion on a group of people based on the actions of one idiot.

I know a lot of breeders (full disclosure - I have a dog that is a beloved family member whom I show in AKC events) that have mix breeds as well as purebreds, and they donate money to rescue annually. I don't think your experience is the norm.

[Gloria Diaz]

12:44 PM on 02/17/2012

Maybe, but the whole experience was a big turn off.

[ktbird67]

01:48 PM on 02/14/2012

Searching for these ads on youtube show not a sad story but almost always happy dogs either patiently waiting for their forever home or running around newly adopted. I really don't see where they're getting this sad story BS from.

[Priscilla Files]

01:08 PM on 02/14/2012

Why wouldn't they run happy adoption ads...here's the sad dog photo and then here's the happy adopted dog (hopefully same dog) catching the frisbee/tennis ball on the beach. Not saying anything not said below, but this kind of seems to be a no-brainer.

[nix28]

12:36 PM on 02/14/2012

If the shelter ads were that depressing, it would have been a great idea to show some of the successful adoptions that took place and how well the dogs were thriving in their new homes. Happy ads that still show support and share information about the importance of adopting. That would be a win-win to me. I hope Westminster listens to the feedback and acts accordingly.

[wayne64]

01:30 PM on 02/14/2012

It's almost as if the shelter workers we're behind this and wanted to show everyone what they have to see everyday. I can't imagine anyone with much marketing experience or experience in creating success ad campaigns coming up with such a bad idea for so many obvious reasons.

[nix28]

02:27 PM on 02/14/2012

It's such a common tactic. It's an emotional plea. Make people feel bad, make them angry, make them feel ashamed, scare them, and you get what you want. The thing is, these tactics have been shown to be ineffective (D.A.R.E., Scared Straight, TRUTH, etc) and yet companies still use them. There is entirely too much information available along with various mediums and methods for sharing that information for people to want a commercial that's supposed to make them feel guilty about a problem the majority of them do not feel they've contributed to. You'd think companies would figure that out by now.

[bcmom]

10:09 AM on 02/14/2012

Why is this a surprise?

[pixgirl922]

01:00 AM on 02/14/2012

Shame on you Westminster. I'm not watching anymore, but I did go to the Pedigree Foundation website to make my yearly donation. I'm voting with my pocketbook and Purina isn't getting any.

[texgal42]

10:48 PM on 02/13/2012

Westminister, you have made a very serious mistake in banning the commercials for adoption & rescue of dogs (or any animal). Yes, it's very sad and heartbreaking and my eyes tear whenever I see a commercial for help for the animals. But...as the owner of 3 rescue dogs and many rescue horses, I watch & pray that someone watching will go out tomorrow and adopt a pet. Shame on you, Westminister. I will never watch your show again and from what I've been reading there are millions that feel the same way as I do.

[FTracy3]

10:22 PM on 02/13/2012

Why does everything have to be either or? Run the adoption ads and run the feel good frisbee on the beach ones too.

[Igor Purlantov]

09:26 PM on 02/13/2012

It is shame that the ads were pulled. It is essential that people are informed about the need for more animals to be adopted and for puppy mills to be put out of business for good. IgorPurlantov.org

[edford456]

07:01 PM on 02/13/2012

Westminster is woefully wrong on this. I warmed up to the dog showing crowd because of those Pedigree ads. The AKC does very little to promote rescue--even pure breed rescue. The only ones who should feel shame here are the Westminster promoters--and the AKC.

[lori279187]

10:12 AM on 03/02/2012

Very good comment. I agree whole heartedly. The AKC has always turned me off. They come across as snobbish boors. I have 3 purebreds (2 (known) from breeders) and 2 mutts. All are rescue dogs. Not a one is the same as the others. They make my life happy.

[JeffThomasTX]

05:29 PM on 02/13/2012

It's shameful enough that Westminster promotes irresponsible breeding while so many homeless dogs have to be euthanized because there aren't nearly enough homes for them all. But to refuse to give some of those dogs a better chance by allowing Pedigree to provide a bit of balance by sending a pro-adoption message is beyond disgraceful.

[Chad Wheeler]

07:22 PM on 02/13/2012

How does Westminster promote irresponsible breeding?

[candall]

03:09 AM on 02/15/2012

One of my breed-specific rescue groups just spent weeks scraping and begging for money to purchase all the dogs offered by a notorious "commercial breeder" at a puppymill auction. Every single one of the matted, half-bald, rotted toothed dogs we managed to buy came with a full and legitimate set of AKC registration papers.

The ones we couldn't afford were sold to the next breeder, who will manage to get a few more litters of "AKC Purebred" puppies out of them.

[DWoodA]

02:24 PM on 02/13/2012

M-O-N-E-Y. That's what it comes down to. For the AKC, for Westminster, and for breeders. As long as there are millions of animals dying in shelters for want of homes, there is no excuse to breed more dogs. Except to make money.

[Chad Wheeler]

07:25 PM on 02/13/2012

Or to create dogs that fulfill a specific purpose, remain a certain size, have a specific temperament, or that have a particular coat.

Second, the dogs in shelters are not cute puppies dumped by breeders who can't find homes for them. They were dogs that had homes at one time, but lost them. Once you sell something, it is no longer your responsibility. So how is it a breeder's fault if someone buys a dog from them and then two years later brings it to a shelter because they're moving or because they have no time for it?

[Roseanne Pacheco]

08:56 PM on 02/13/2012

You are hopelessly ill informed. Many, many dog & puppies are dumped in shelters by unethical breeders. And most truly responsible breeders insist that their dogs are returned to them rather than given away or resold. The fact that you realize that dogs in shelters once had homes only serves to speak to the fact that their are unethical, irresponsible owners. The fact that you acknowledge that many came from breeders & end up homeless only helps to prove the point that there are too many dogs being bred by irresponsible, unethical breeders. Thanks for your help.

[ktbird67]

02:30 PM on 02/14/2012

"Once you sell something, it is no longer your responsibi­lity."

This comment absolutely speaks volumes about your attitude towards dog breeding and suddenly all your other comments make sense.

Every responsible breeder should make a dog their responsibility for the entire lifetime of the dog. I do not know a single responsible breeder that would disagree with that statement.

[Lucy P]

12:09 PM on 02/13/2012

Of course Westminster pulled these ads. They want to keep viewers in blissful ignorance about the millions of dogs who die in shelters for lack of homes, and they don't want people to think about the fact that every time someone buys a puppy from a breeder (which Westminster urges viewers to do), a lovable dog waiting in a shelter will die. Westminster's shamelessness and greed know no bounds.

[Chad Wheeler]

07:25 PM on 02/13/2012

Do you really think someone who wants a Pomeranian puppy is going to change their mind and go get an adolescent pit bull/chow cross instead?

[Roseanne Pacheco]

08:59 PM on 02/13/2012

Do you really think that someone who wants a Pomeranian can't get one from a shelter? Again you are misinformed...I have 2. You really should get a clue.

[ktbird67]

01:44 PM on 02/14/2012

25% of shelter dogs are purebred. I have 2 purebred basset hounds, both from a shelter.

Stop spreading your anti-rescue garbage and pretending it isn't. It's tiring.

I volunteer in a shelter that adopts out around 2k-3k dogs a year and we frequently have Poms and Pom mixes.