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Monday, July 20, 2009

Toilet Paper for Dogs

I thought this ad was surely about dog food at first,



But instead of dog food it is apparently an ad for doggy toilet paper. At least that's what I actually thought for about five seconds after I first saw this commercial. Turns out that Cottonelle is still making toilet paper for humans only. Sorry dogs of the world you'll just have to be content with wiping your butts across the carpet and somehow convincing human "masters" to pick up your poop and carry it around in a bag.
But the question I would really like to ask is if a dog really the best mascot for advertising the fancy life they promise with the use of their toilet paper? I mean, I just pointed out how dogs have it made but they have it made because their usually so blissfully unaware and full of life (read: happily dumb) that anything makes them happy. This commercial however makes it look like it'd even be hard for Leona Helmsley's dog to keep up with this dog's lifestyle. Again, dogs are happy but uncomplicated. That's why they're so popular. The voice-over talks about how Cottonelle is the product you want "when you demand the very best". The great thing about dogs is that they don't really demand anything and they gladly accept what you give them. I think I would have not asked these questions about the commercial if they chose a cat but I think cottonelle was being diplomatic in trying not to make their commercial more ammunition in the great "Cat People vs. Dog People" wars.
Regardless, this commercial is just another chapter in a long series of commercials that feature animals selling a product that is definitely humans only. There's no real connection between puppies (or bears) and toilet paper and uses soft and pleasant (again, bears are neither soft nor particularly pleasant though I like considering the subversive element Charmin takes with their bears asking the question "Do you use Charmin?" and hoping the bears will answer: "Don't I poop in the woods?" layers-within-layers, those people at Charmin are geniuses) so Cottonelle is hoping that you'll make a connection that they're toilet paper is fluffy and soft and will make your butt feel better and cleaner just as if you wiped your butt with a puppy.

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