Stupid Quiznos commercial shows dead budgie!!

[luckies4me]

Well Quiznos will be airing a commercial tomorrow during the superbowl in which a man who only thinks about Quiznos neglects to feed his pet bird and the bird starves to death! :mad:

Are they stupid or something, seriously? I will be posting more info in about three minutes. BRB:)

Quizno's portrays dead Budgie to sell sandwiches January 23, 2003 To All Concerned:

It's time to straighten out another clueless corporation that thinks animal neglect and abuse is funny and will sell its product.

A Denver news station aired a Super Bowl ad for Quizno's last night that depicted a dead Budgie in its cage due to neglect by a man that can only think about making Quizno's sandwiches. Below are two replies from Foundation staff and we urge you to do the same. We will put a link on our home page so others will be informed and let "Q" know that animal abuse will not be tolerated in any form.

Please pass this notice on to others that will feel the same and let Quizno's and corporate Amercia know that animal abuse and neglect is not funny and that the Amercian public will not support a company that thinks it is!

Let's encourage Quizo's to donate their 2.2 million dollars to avian shelters and sanctuaries!

Sincerely,
The Gabriel Foundation - President and Staff

For more info please refer to the link below:
dead bird, stupid commercial (http://iaparrot.com/parrot/main.asp)

[Karen]

I am sure that no budgie was harmed in making the commercial, that it was a "stuffed" bird, or one that was just very good at "playing dead."

That said, it is sick and tasteless. If there were Quiznos near here (I've never even seen one) I would never go there again.


P.S.* Paul corrected me, we HAVE seen one, but we didn't end up eating there, and we won't be going back.

[RockyRoad]

Exactly what I was thinking, Popcornbird. I HATE how people think ANIMAL ABUSE is funny.:mad: I'm glad I am not watching the Super Bowl tomorrow, if I saw that commercial those IDIOTS made, I would be MORTIFIED. I pray they did not KILL the bird just for a COMMERCIAL, though it is not much of a POSSIBILITY. If anyone found out, there would surely be a punsihment, at least I think so... :mad: :( :eek: :mad: :( :eek:

[luckies4me]

I WILL be watching the superbowl tomorrow and seeng if they actually air it or not. I am sure PETA has probably contacted them lol. So I want to see if they have the guts to actually air it or not, if they do I am sure tons of people will be on their backs about it.


The sad thing is that there are children out there who don't know better that will go kill a bird and stick it in a cage to recreate the commercial...this has happened several times, which is why they always have "please do not try this at home" etc. Poor children who see their bird up on the screen because they have a keet at home just like it!:(


I don't understand why they think a dead bird is funny, that's just tasteless in my opinion. I will NEVER eat one of their sandwhiches again, and well if you are listening QUIZNOSSSS, your sandwhiches aren't all too great anyway!:mad: :mad: :mad:

[Paul]

   It's a very bad commercial. The bird is only briefly on screen. For those who wish to see it and complain, it is at the Quiznos website (http://www.quiznos.com/).

   The Quiznos website will let you send comments to the "Marketing/Advertising" department. Here is my favorite Brooksy Smith, executive vice president of marketing, quote from their website speaking about the CEO: "That's Jimmy and that's Jimmy's underwear. We're trying to break through and stand out."

      Paul

[Nomilynn]

I couldn't find the commercial on the site.. does anyone have a direct link? I would like to see it before I make a comment.

[luckies4me]

You can watch it tomorrow during the superbowl. Even if it is for a second it's the way it's represented. You don't let an animal starve to death, period.

[Paul]

   This should be the direct link (http://www.quiznos.com/jimmy.mpg) to the mpeg video.

   I think it might help if everyone complains via the "Contact Us" on the Quiznos website.

      Paul

[Cookiebaker]

I am SPEECHLESS!! All I know is that less than 2 months ago, my itty-bitty Azure Bird passed away....and seeing that just made me hurt all over again the way I did that night. I just can't stop crying. :( I have never heard of that restaurant before, but you can be sure that I will never go there. :(

[Cookiebaker]

I just wrote a letter of complaint. It didn't make me feel better though, I'm still shaking.

[Dixieland Dancer]

I hope this commercial back fires in their face and they end up losing customers instead of gaining them. Sadly though I believe the majority of the population will not see the problem with this ad the way we do. :(

Quizno sub stores are popping up all around me and I have been wanting to try one. I think hell can freeze over first now! :mad:

[neko1]

That commericial was disgusting, horrible and cruel. YUK!!!

[primabella]

:( how sad :(

[RockyRoad]

What channel is the superbowl on? Fox? I wanna see this. But is the bird all bloody, or not? Blood makes me nausious(sp?), so I don't want to see it is it has blood.

[Karen]

It is not bloody, it is probably a fake, anyway. You can see the commercial by following one of the links earlier in the thread, that way you don't have to watch football, too!

[popcornbird]

Its not bloody, its just a dead budgie in its cage. Its a sickening commercial. The budgie looks real, and its upsidedown, stiff, looks totally dead, and it looks like its been dead for a while. I just HOPE its not real, but it looks real to me :(

[JillLovesMinnie14yrs]

I sent out 2 complaint letters. Although I have yet to see the commericial, I am going to take popcorn's word for it. The birdie expertie ;) And I wont be watching "The Game" :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Nomilynn]

Here is the letter I just sent them:

To whom it may concern,

I just had the unfortunate opportunity to see your new commercial with "Jimmy" the chef and his "pet" bird. I felt compelled to write to you and let you know how disgusting that commercial is. As an animal lover, I am appalled that your company would stoop so low just to sell your product. How dare you exploit a serious issue like animal neglect and abuse to promote your product. It is shamefull and tasteless and I sincerely hope that you choose NOT to air that commercial anymore. A new add with an apology from the makers of the commercial is in order; it would at least be a first step in trying to redeem your company. I hope you are ashamed of that add, and that in the future, your marketing department uses more tact and shows more resposibilty in the production of your advertisments.

Angrily,
Naomi

[RockyRoad]

The direct link wasn't working for me on AOL, I had to go on my mom's name on Netscape to see it. How rude!! My stomach jumped when I saw the bird. :eek: I'm sending a complaint letter too!!:mad: Especially the caption; "Ignoring everthing else on his life..." It makes it look like it is OK to ignore a bird, and let it die, because you can go out and make a sandwich and dedicate yourself to that. Ugh, honestly, how could they air that and not possibly expect angry feedback from animal lovers. That was horrible, even if it was about two seconds they showed it.:rolleyes: :mad: :eek: :(

[AdoreMyDogs]

I was watching the game just for the commercials. I left the TV running and as soon as I heard the commercials, I came back into the living room and watched the commercials. I saw the Quiznos commercial without knowing anything about what they were going to show and I was really looking forward to it...until the shot of the dead bird. It really did look real and it shocked me. I didn't appreciate it at all. It was very tasteless. I have liked the Quiznos commercials in the past quite a bit, so I was expecting this one to be great, but my heart broke when I saw it.

That sets a bad example. It tried to make humor of starving a bird to death and I am very dissapointed and upset with Quiznos. They happen to be my very favorite sub shop, but I don't plan on going back to them because of the tasteless-ness of that commercial.

I was wondering if anyone here would have said something about that very tasteless commercial. I am glad that I am not the only one who was disgusted.

[AdoreMyDogs]

I went to the Quiznos site and sent them a complaint. I also told them that they have lost my business.

I just don't see any humor in starving a bird to death and I can't believe that they expect people to think it's funny? They paid millions to air that commercial. What were they thinking?

Well hopefully they will suffer from their poor choices, and maybe fire a few marketing people as well :mad:

I just can't get over how real that parakeet looks. It's sick.

[petsbestern]

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[ramanth]

Aye... I didn't care for that commercial at all. Everything about it makes me not want to eat there.

[Dixieland Dancer]

Here was my short and sweet response to Quizno's.

Dear Sirs,
Your tasteless commercial aired during the super bowl game has left a sour taste in my mouth for your company. I do not understand how you can think the abuse of animals, no matter how small in nature, is an acceptable advertising ploy. I will not patronize your store any longer because of this commercial. So in stead of gaining a customer, I am reporting you just lost one.

Disgusted by your tastelessness,
Candace

[Sudilar]

I am outraged!! Since when is animal abuse something to joke about????? Going now to send an email.

[HoRsELUvR]

yea go Dixieland!i saw that commercial and it was just sick.it didnt want to make me eat some dumb sandwhich at all!

[Cookiebaker]

I just got a response from Quizno's to the nastygram that I sent...I can't believe that they try and excuse themselves:


Quiznos Subs appreciates your concern for the well being of the animal
portrayed in our recent television commercial. Please understand that the
image, one of three equally exaggerated scenarios, was only meant to
illustrate in a humorous way the dedication and focus of Chef Jimmy.

Quiznos does not advocate or condone harming any animal in order to sell a
sandwich. Further, the bird portrayed was a stuffed prop, and at no time
were live animals ever used during the filming.

Again, we appreciate your concern, and hope this answers your questions.

If by chance there is an attachment with this message, please disregard it.

Sincerely,

Quizno's Guest Relations
http://www.Quiznos.com

[ramanth]

Please understand that the
image, one of three equally exaggerated scenarios, was only meant to
illustrate in a humorous way the dedication and focus of Chef Jimmy.

How stupid and dense!!!! What they did was not humerous!!

[Dixieland Dancer]

I got the same form letter response to my email. Sick humor. :mad:

[petsbestern]

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Kfamr]

Er.. Quiznos is still yummy though, besides taco bell, it's my favorite.

[Nomilynn]

I also got the same response. I'm going to write back again, and say that I don't appreciate the form email as I took the time to write one that was heartfelt in the first place.

I have never liked Quizno's. I really dilike the taste, and the toasted bread cuts up the corners of my mouth! Owie! :p

[Sudilar]

Got the same response. Grrrr

[Nomilynn]

I wrote back:

Dear Mr. Brunson,

I feel compelled to respond. I am quite offended that I have received a "canned" response to the email that I took the time to write out. I know that this message is a mass response to the many people who wrote in about this commercial, and it does nothing to help the problem.

I am well aware that your company would not use a "real" animal in your ad, because it is against the law. I will at least give you the benefit of that doubt. However, using that image at all is still distasteful. It is not humorous. How funny would it have been if you shown an emaciated child in a crib? Would that be funny? Would it be funny to show a crying baby in a diaper full of excrement because "Jimmy" was too busy with a sandwich? I would hope that your humanity would kick in and stop you from using such tasteless images. Showing a dead bird is no different. I do not have human children, but my pets are just as much a part of my family as any person would be, and animals rely on their families to care for them. Your scenarios are not "equally exaggerated" because one scene takes a living, breathing life and mocks and exploits it for marketing purposes. So what if the bird is stuffed - that doesn’t make it "ok."

I think it is disgusting that you, on behalf of your company, are trying to excuse your bad taste and justify it. There is no excuse. There is no justification. Your company made a bad call and it needs to be rectified. Sending out a boxed response in an attempt to "tame the masses" does nothing to ease my displeasure, nor does it excuse the fact that you exploited animal abuse to sell a product.

I hope that you choose to respond to me with the same respect that I have shown you, with a personal attempt to take back this show of bad taste.

I look forward to your response,
Naomi

[cturtle]

I think thaT THEY may have used plastic for the bird (like they do on mcdonalds and burger king commercials). I think it would have been wrong to use a real bird (if it was 1). things can look real if it's plastic. I think that the people who made the commercials knew that if it was a real dead bird, then someone would respond to having that and so they used a plastic bird. HOPEFULLY!!:D :D

[Nomilynn]

It was a stuffed bird, or at least according to Mr. Richard Brunson. But that's not the point - at all. It doens't excuse the message.

A while back there was a commercial for Imperial Margarine where a baked potato was upset it couldnt "be with" the margerine and so it impaled itself on a fork. I wrote to the company, and basically said it's indecent to exploit a serious issue like suicide to sell a product. So what if it's a potato? That doens't make it ok. Someone wrote back to me - personally - and said they were sorry and were pulling the commercial from the air until they came up with a new one. Within a month or two, they had a new commercial out, where the margerine and the potato were on the conveyer belt at the grocery store, and the potato has a fantasy about running through a feild with the margerine until the reverie is shattered by one of those plastic order dividers. I was totally impressed with their swift action and humanitarian response. I think if we don't back down there is a chance Quizno's will get the message.

[RockyRoad]

I couldn't complain to them. :( When I went to send a complaint, they asked me for my phone number and all of this other stuff. I didn't want to give it to them, and I couldn't make up a phony number, so I just didn't do it. Is there another way, I mean, without sending my adress and phone numer to them as well?:confused:
Either way, I hated that commercial. Stuffed or non-stuffed, real or un-real, it is still pulling the same message through. And it was completely wrong to e-mail an animal lover a message saying the commercial was supposed to be HUMOROUS?! I see nothing funny about that commercial at all. I have never tried Quiznos myself, yet now I know I am never going to.:mad:

[Nomilynn]

for my phone number, I put n/a and it accepted it. I think there just has to be something in the comment line

[RockyRoad]

OK, thanks Naomi! :)

[Songlover]

Dear Popcornbird and other pet talk members; I have not seen this commercial since we do not have this company in Canada. However, I did sign the petition and added my comments as I think that the idea of portraying an animal dying of hunger while the so-called "superior being" looks on and takes no action to prevent it is reprehensible!!! What kind of message are we giving here???
It is the all too common message that domestic animals, including birds and rodents, are simply dispensible, and that is not the case!!!

I am so mad, I am just fuming over here in Montreal.....arghhhh!!!

Where will all of this lead??? Regards from Deborah

[Nomilynn]

Originally posted by Songlover
Dear Popcornbird and other pet talk members; I have not seen this commercial since we do not have this company in Canada.

There are Quiznos in Canada. That's why I've been writing about it and writing to Quiznos. Maybe you just don't have one near you :) Paul posted a direct link eariler in this thread so you can watch the commercial if you want to.

[Cataholic]

Naomi,
Your response back to Quiznos was wonderfully thought out! I, too, received a canned response, and responded, yet nothing as purrfect as yours!!!!! I hope they respond by pulling the ad! Thanks for carrying the torch for the furkids..
Johanna

[Nomilynn]

my dad is also going to write to them, after I told him about this. he hasn't even seen the commercial, but he said he didn't really think he wanted to :rolleyes:

[popcornbird]

Here a link to the petition against this commercial.

http://www.petitiononline.com/seesthru/petition.html

Please sign everyone and leave comments too! I signed and left a comment. I *think* I am #1133 (not sure) but you can check. Please sign and let Quiznos know how very much unappreciated their commercial was, and how many customers they lost, rather than gained from that pathetic commercial! :mad:

[Cataholic]

Pop,
I thought I 'heard' they pulled this ad. Do you know anything about it? The herd and I signed the petition, AND sent an email. Gotta support the furry ones, no matter what type of 'fur' it is, ya know?

[Tina]

I don't know if they pulled it or not. I was watching Animal Planet last night and they showed the commerical so I don't think they have pulled it.:mad:

[Cataholic]

GRRROWL.....:mad: :mad: :mad:

[Nomilynn]

I see it at least four times a day :mad: And that's only in one or two hours! :mad:

[Logan]

Originally posted by Tina
I don't know if they pulled it or not. I was watching Animal Planet last night and they showed the commerical so I don't think they have pulled it.:mad:

Animal Planet is airing that commercial??? Makes me wonder if I want to watch Animal Planet anymore too!! I don't watch much tv and we only have one Quizno's in our area (the others went out of busines....and now I'm glad), so I haven't seen this ad, nor do I want to!

[Tina]

When I seen it last night. I was like omg I can't believe Animal Planet is showing this commerical:mad: But they did. I'm glad there is no Quiznos around here!

[popcornbird]

Originally posted by Cataholic
Pop,
I thought I 'heard' they pulled this ad. Do you know anything about it? The herd and I signed the petition, AND sent an email. Gotta support the furry ones, no matter what type of 'fur' it is, ya know?

"Feathery" ones you mean. :p Popcorn and Muffin growled at you for calling their fellow feathery ones (furry) ones!! ;);)

I'm glad there is no Quiznos around here either! Cataholic, the only thing I know about it is from this forum, and the cockatiel forum I am on. I rarely go there (I'm always here) but I went to see if they were talking about this too, and sure enough, they were. They were just as angry as us here, maybe even more! That's where I got the link to the petition. I think some people on Tiel Talk were saying it was aired on................hmmm.................I dunno what channel, but they said they saw it on TV. Awfully sad. :( I can't believe animal planet showed it! :eek: Why do they call themselves animal planet then!?!?! That's a shame. :(

[Sudilar]

I signed the petition.:mad:

[Cataholic]

Originally posted by popcornbird
"Feathery" ones you mean. :p Popcorn and Muffin growled at you for calling their fellow feathery ones (furry) ones!! ;);)


I know!!!! I overlooked their feathery part, on accident. That is funny that they can growl...I guess it makes sense, though, cause my cats 'chirp'.....very funny noise, too!

I just figured if any one knew, the birdaholic (you, he he) would!