Skechers for its Super Bowl ad this year is replacing Kim Kardashian with “a French bulldog,” according to Bruce Horovitz of USA TODAY. Skechers execs insisted that the “negative PR” around the end of Kardashian's three-month marriage to Nets F Kris Humphries “has nothing to do with their decision.” In the ad, a “tiny dog -- be-decked in Skecher’s new GOrun shoes -- races a pack of greyhounds.” However, the appearance of the greyhounds, “is raising eyebrows from an animal rights group Grey2K USA, which is petitioning to ax the ad.” The group claims that the greyhounds “were mistreated and kept in tiny cages at Tucson Greyhound Park.” The American Humane Society said that “no animals were harmed in the making of the ad.” Meanwhile, Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban “has a cameo in the new spot” (USA TODAY, 1/10). The spot will air during the two-minute warning of the first half (Skechers).
NOT WORTH THE COST: Denny’s is not advertising in the game after promoting the restaurant chain during the '09 and '10 games. Denny's CMO Frances Allen noted the company didn’t consider buying ad time during the Super Bowl this year, saying, "If you have a purpose for being in there, it’s great. It’s the most expensive airtime and I don’t really see the ROI for it." Allen: "It’s wonderful to have your ad talked about the next day and some people get great media out of that. But we’ve got a full year to support and blowing such a huge proportion of the budget on one spot -- it’s rarely the right decision” (ADWEEK.com, 1/6).
