You might remember Go Daddy’s supremely uncomfortable ad from two years ago, in which supermodel Bar Refaeli kissed a chubby, nerdy dude. This time around, the Internet domain company has taken a much different route.
This year, Go Daddy pokes fun at cheesy-but-adorable commercials featuring puppies – you know, like those Budweiser ads. In this 30-second spot, called “Journey Home,” a pup named Buddy fights all kinds of obstacles to make his way home after falling out of a pickup truck. He finally gets back safely, and his humans are of course thrilled – because they just sold him on a website they built using Go Daddy.
Some viewers seem to appreciate the joke, but others have protested, saying the ad promotes puppy mills and inhumane breeding practices. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than nine thousand people had signed a petition to remove the ad altogether.
GoDaddy announced Tuesday evening that it will pull the commercial, citing the “emotional and direct” responses from many people who urged them not to run the controversial ad.
- Taylor Swift Is TIME's 2023 Person of the Year
- Meet the Nation Builders
- Why Cell Phone Reception Is Getting Worse
- Column: It's Time to Scrap the Abraham Accords
- Israeli Family Celebrates Release of Hostage Grandmother
- In a New Movie, Beyoncé Finds Freedom
- The Top 100 Photos of 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
