Guest guest Posted June 13, 2002 Report Share Posted June 13, 2002 go to www.subaru.com; at the top of the page is a link to their email feedback form. - " Mr. Pete " <plcohon " " Wednesday, June 12, 2002 11:16 AM [sFBAVeg] Subaru rabbit ad angers activists > From page B1 of today's Chron: > > Subaru Rabbit Ad Makes Activists Hopping Mad > > George Raine, Chronicle Staff Writer Wednesday, June 12, 2002 > > > -------- -- > ---- > > > > The bunny is clearly the scene stealer in the 30-second television > advertisement for the Subaru Forester, in which a mother and daughter > release a rabbit only after finding the perfect patch of forest. Who knew > that the ad describes a death sentence? > > People who know a thing or two about rabbits understand that the domestic > animals don't have the survival skills of the wild ones and will quickly be > taken by a predator. > > The ad, which first aired nationwide June 3, was being edited Tuesday by > Subaru's ad agency, Temerlin McClain of Dallas. > > It's doubtful, however, that a new version will appease rabbit rescue and > education activists like Margo DeMello of Berkeley. > > " This commercial is extremely disturbing to us, " said DeMello, executive > director of the House Rabbit Society (140 volunteers strong, in 40 states > including a shelter in Richmond), " and could not have been introduced at a > worse time of year -- a time when many former Easter rabbits are released > outdoors, exactly as shown. " > > She added, " Subaru's commercial portrays an irresponsible and illegal act as > an act of compassion. " (Illegal, she said, because releasing domestic > animals is barred by law in many states.) > > The House Rabbit Society (www.rabbit.org) and sister groups such as Friends > of Rabbits in Alexandria, Va. (www.friendsofrabbits.org) are conducting an > e- mail and letter-writing campaign to call attention to the offending ad. > They have asked Subaru to withdraw the commercial, which the automaker has > refused to do. > > It appears as part of a series on major CBS and NBC programming including > " The West Wing, " " Will & Grace, " " Judging Amy, " " Everybody Loves Raymond " > and " Dateline. " > > At Subaru of America headquarters in Cherry Hill, N.J., Rob Moran, a > spokesman, said, " There's been a misconception of what we are trying to do > in the ad campaign. " > > The ad shows a mom picking up her daughter at school, where the rabbit has > presumably been cared for, so that they can release it back with its own > kind. (More important for Subaru, the Forester transports the two safely > into the woods.) > > " We intended this to be a wild rabbit, and that is what it is, " Moran said. > > That's not so, DeMello said. > > The docile critter in the ad is not a cottontail or wild rabbit, she said -- > > its coloring and deportment are different. The white nose and white paw are > typical of a domestic rabbit, she said. > > Said Moran, " We are listening to what people have to say. They have > certainly enlightened us. " > > DeMello joined the House Rabbit Society, the only national rabbit advocacy > group, not long after it was formed in the East Bay in 1988. The group has > only one paid employee, at the Richmond shelter, and works with sister > groups in Europe and Canada. DeMello said she has heard from countless > members offended by the Subaru ad. > > In Alexandria, Va., Vineeta Anand, who runs Friends of Rabbits, said that > the animals can live long lives, but that owners who buy them in pet stores > have only short-term plans for them. > > " Of course, they are adorable -- what puppy or kitty or rabbit isn't? " she > said. But in reality, owners lose interest and discard them -- " pick your > excuse of the day, " she said. > > Can Subaru somehow resolve the matter? " Nothing short of pulling the ad will > satisfy us, " Anand said. > > > > > > *Tell your friends to Be-A-Veg with SFBAVeg! To , send an e-mail to: - > *To share a message with the group: > *Manage your SFBAVeg list subscription: > -Switch to no-mail: -nomail > -Switch to daily digest: -digest > -Switch to individual messages: -normal > -Leave the group: - > *If you have questions about the list, please contact Tammy & Chris, list admins, at -owner > * > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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