Volkswagen defends singing dog advert after cruelty accusations
The advert features a dog singing along to the Spencer Davies Group
Author: Phil Rannard
Published: 28 March 2008
Volkswagen has been forced to defend its latest advert for its Polo supermini, after complaints that a singing dog features in the advert had been abused.
The dog is shown shaking and whimpering the lyrics to the Spencer Davies Groups' 'I'm a Man' while in public, but it later happily sings along to the song while a passenger in the Polo. The advert is called Polo Confidence.
View the singing dog advert
The RSPCA has announced that it is to investigate the advert after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received 286 complaints from viewers concerned that the dog had been mistreated while filming the advert.
The advert is featured on MotorTorque and has received over 4,000 page views in one week. Several MotorTorque readers have voiced their concern that the dog was mistreated during the filming of the advert.
VW says that no animals were harmed in the making of the advert, and that the two dogs used were highly trained.
'The dogs are highly trained. They can do almost anything. They can shake if they are happy or excited - they were not scared.
'There is a fantasy element to the advert. We would hope that just as when people see the dog singing, they know it's not real, when they see it shaking, they know it is not really scared.'
An RSPCA spokesman said that regardless of how the animals were treated, the dog should wear a seatbelt while in the car and should travel in the rear.
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Hahaha the RSPCA comment made me laugh
'An RSPCA spokesman said that regardless of how the animals were treated, the dog should wear a seatbelt while in the car and should travel in the rear.'
That´s ridiculous. It´s an advert. And I know for sure my dog would not stay in a seatbelt.
that v.w. ad really upsets me. so glad it´s to be pulled off the air and i´m not even a dog lover!
oh - dear
what is this world coming to?
get a life people
This is the funniest advert I have ever seen in my life. I still have the top gear on my sky+ purely for this advert in the break.
I love dogs. I unlike those 300 losers know that this is an advert - Not a documentary. I bored people making them watch this advert on a loop - Wee came out.
More adverts should be this funny and sad little complaining people should work part time for the RSPCA if they want to protect animals.
Do they actually think this dog can sing too?
Losers !
Why have the RSPCA complained and banned this advert
THE DOG IS NOT BEING ABUSED. DOGS SHAKE LIKE THAT SOMETIMES WHEN THEY ARE EXCITED
The dog cant actually sing either so it is obviously SPECIAL EFFECTS
And for the 286 people who comlained
A DOG CAN BE TRAINED WITHOUT BEING ABUSED!!!!!!!!!
THERE IS THE SAME TYPE OF DOG UP THE KENNELS I GO TOO AND HE SHAKES WHEN THERE ... BUT HE IS EXCITED!
Get a life
One of the best adverts ive seen in a long time.
Please bring it back.
Get a life? Losers?
Why don´t you idiots think about what you are watching? Clearly the singing dog is computer generated... the shaking dog isn´t. Apparently it is trained. How? Maybe it is all fine but it is good for people to question and check these things rather than just not care about anything.
What a shame. It made people smile and sing along. I even had the girls singing it in the office. I loved it. I cannot imagine anyone would allow that cute little dog to be in any distress so i disagree with the ban.
We have a white jack russell who behaves just like the little dog on the advert-when shes in the car she is yapping and barking quite happily but as soon as shes anywhere new she´ll be shivering and looking terrified!!! And may I add she is the most spoilt jack russell in the world!!!!
For all you ill informed people out there the ad makers choose this breed of dog due to the fact that it does shake as part of it´s characteristics. It was also trained to shake on demand and a shaking platform was built but was not required and during the whole of the filming process the american humaine society were present, to ensure dogs were healthy and happy.
Why do someone people have to complain when they don´t know the facts? Fantastic advert - love it
My son who has a severe learning disability just loves this ad. It makes him laugh out loud, even he realises that the dogs are acting though he does think the dog really sings.
Get real, its not like vw are bear baiting. It's an ad! which is ment to grab your attention (job done) and are we all so stupid to beleive its cruel? If that IS the case am I to beleive I can jump off buildings in my Nissan Qashqai if I owned one or hand pupets can drive as depicted in the Corsa add?
Anyone know the words to this advert( the words the dog is saying)
I think this advert is a bit dodgey wat is wiv tha dog the producers of this advert need 2 think of somthin new!!!
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Get a life........ It´s an advert! Mistreating a dog in the advert, 286 complaints! The dog wear a seatbelt! The advert is clearly fantasy and very funny. What are people thinking!?