GoDaddy Nixes Super Bowl Ad —About Puppy Mill

GoDaddy is no stranger to controversy when it comes to Super Bowl ads, and this year, the company has already pulled one, the Chicago Tribune reports. Animal lovers were furious over an ad that shows a puppy falling off the back of a truck, then heroically making his way home—only to discover that his "home" is some kind of puppy mill. "I'm so glad you made it home ... because I just sold you on this website I built with GoDaddy," the owner says. She puts him on another truck, this one driven by Danica Patrick, and says, "Ship 'em out!" The spot, which aired on the Today show, is apparently a parody of the many Super Bowl commercials involving puppies, including an upcoming Budweiser ad, Ad Age reports.

"@DanicaPatrick saw the #GoDaddyPuppy commercial. You should be ashamed to be a part of this company. This is why so many dogs are homeless," tweeted one angry viewer in a typical post. GoDaddy took the comments on board: "We underestimated the emotional response. And we heard that loud and clear," said CEO Blake Irving. "The net result? We are pulling the ad from the Super Bowl. You’ll still see us in the Big Game this year, and we hope it makes you laugh." The ad was also pulled from YouTube, Ad Age notes, though some versions are still floating around. (For those upset by the pulled commercial, here's a little something to lift your spirits.)