There it was. Out there for the world to see. The now
infamous, but not so adorable, puppy commercial. If you haven’t seen it, click here now or read on. Called “Journey Home,” there was a little lost puppy that
stole all our hearts. In fact, it looks a lot like my little furry friend did
when I first took her in 15 years ago. In the clip, the puppy fell out of a
pickup truck and became separated from his family. There were shots of him
trying desperately to find his way home. Even though it was just a commercial,
I found myself cheering this little puppy on, back into the arms of his owners
and the familiar warmth of hearth and home.
And then it happened. In the comedy world, it’s called the
twist. That line that takes you in a whole different direction and punches up
the humor. In a movie, a comedy, it would have been hilarious. Told in a comedy
club the bit would have been ridiculously funny. To use this bit to represent a
company that should impart a certain customer service message to gain more
business, it not only fell flat, it fell farther than flat.
Here’s why. As the puppy happily returns home, his owner
is ecstatic, “Look, it’s Buddy! I’m so glad you made it home!” She
scoops him up in her arms, holding him close. This is where our hearts are warmed
to the nth degree. For pet owners, we know the joy of holding our precious pets
close, and some of us know the joy of finding a pet that was lost, even if it
just ran off for a short while (like my little Maxie did back in her younger
days). Then, all the warm fuzzy feelings we have are immediately dashed as
Buddy’s owner takes a tone that drips of greediness, “Because I just sold you
on this website I built with Go Daddy.” Then, as the puppy is boxed up in a
van, she says, “Ship ‘em out!”
Some said it was a spoof on the Budweiser “Lost Puppy”
commercial which you can view here. Spoofs are better served on Saturday Night
Live. The difference is, with the Budweiser “Lost Puppy” our hearts are warmed
through and through till the end. It leaves us with that warm feeling and, even
for folks like me who don’t drink beer, I have a good feeling towards the
company that put it out there. Unlike the feeling I have at the end of “Journey
Home.” It warms our hearts then turns them cold. And leaves some debating the
ethical question of dog breeding.
I’m sure the writers intended to give us a laugh. Let’s face
it, Go Daddy is known for creating commercials that are edgy. But, the viewers’
reactions beg the question: Is Go Daddy being served well by the commercials
they’re creating? What kind of message does it send?
Here’s a few reactions from both (or all) sides of the
fence:
Michael G. says, “Someone thought this commercial was funny,
but it backfired…I think it’s sick.”
JuiceBoxing says, “Hey, the commercial was meant to be
funny.”
Ruth C. says, “Made me not want to use Go Daddy. Not cool!”
Scott K. says, “Such an awesome ad. I can’t stop laughing.”
Chrissy C. says, “I never seen a more horrible commercial
ever.”
Jeff H. says, “I’m so disappointed in Go Daddy, especially
as one who volunteers and fosters for rescues.”
Vicomi says, “#GoDaddyPuppy ad proves why understanding
customers’ emotions is so important.”
I’ve been a customer of Go Daddy for years. You can view my
Go Daddy website here. The customer service I’ve received over the years could
not have been better. Whenever I’ve dealt with their techs, they’ve been super
helpful. And Go Daddy provides a great service for both the novice and the
expert in building websites. Plus, they are continually making their products
and services better.
If I sound like a fan, I am. Do I think the company has poor
judgment in commercials? Yes. And that’s my opinion. Just like the opinions you
read above. Personally, I think it would be cool to see the commercial end with Buddy being welcomed home, just as he was, then show the website about the family's business (totally unrelated to dog breeding) and showing Buddy as the mascot.
Go Daddy’s CEO Blake Irving admitted, “We underestimated the
emotional response.” It happens. Lesson learned. It will be interesting to see
what Super Bowl ad the Go Daddy marketing team comes up with next. I don’t know about
you, but I’m looking forward to it.
And this is my take on the take-down of the “Journey Home”
Super Bowl commercial. What’s YOUR take?
www.JeanBaileyRobor.com (Yep, that's my Go Daddy site)
