Tell Budweiser: Don't Demonize Wolves to Sell Beer
Purposefully demonizing an animal that is part of America's natural heritage is no way to sell beer.
But that hasn't stopped Budweiser from crafting a commercial for this year's Superbowl that intentionally drums up anti-wolf sentiment to try and capitalize on our culture's outsized fear of wolf attacks.
The ad pits a cute puppy against a snarling, evil-looking wolf. In the ad the puppy is saved from the vicious wolf by the arrival of a team of Clydesdale horses.
Here's a reality check: 1.2 million dogs are euthanized in shelters in the United States each year while another 1.2 million dogs are hit and killed by cars on America's roads. By comparison, wolves are a virtually non-existent threat to our furry canine friends, only in very rare instances attacking dogs if they feel threatened or perceive them as competitors. The real threat to both dogs and wolves, as these numbers show and as Budweiser's cynical attempt to boost sales indicates, is people.
Take action — tell Budweiser to pull its wolf-hating ad, demonizing an endangered species is no way to sell beer.
Dear Mr. Santel,
Your recent ad for the upcoming Superbowl depicting a puppy encountering a snarling wolf is a misguided and inappropriate demonization of one of our country's most iconic species.
Gray wolves were hunted to the very brink of extinction in the early part of the 20th century and it is only through years of effort and education and millions of taxpayer dollars that they have been recovered to their current population levels. Wolves are an integral part of the American landscape—their role as apex predators helps ensure healthy ecosystems.
Yet, despite their beauty, intelligence, social nature and their key role in a healthy environment, wolves are routinely demonized as vicious killers. This type of fear-mongering hampers recovery efforts, leads to vigilante killings of a federally protected species and skews the public perception of a creature that was nearly eradicated from the face of the planet.
[Your comments here]
It is irresponsible and offensive for Budweiser to perpetuate this type of ignorant hatred in a cynical attempt to bolster beer sales. I urge you to immediately pull this ad from circulation and to consider making a charitable donation to one of the many worthy wolf-advocacy organizations that are fighting every day to preserve this species.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
