- Quirky Subaru announced on Thursday that it is skipping traditional Super Bowl advertising.
- It is sponsoring Animal Planet's "Puppy Bowl VII" and kicking off a new Subaru Game Day Dog Walk Event that urges dog owners to get off the couch.
- Dog-oriented freebies are involved in this campaign and include Subaru-branded water bowls, stuffed animals and engraved dog tags.
CHERRY HILL, New Jersey — As General Motors, Audi and other automakers jockey for key advertising spots during the 2011 Super Bowl game, Subaru announced on Thursday it is snubbing the high-profile event. Instead, it is urging people to get off the couch and walk their dogs.
Perhaps the strangest part of the exercise is a new YouTube video posted by Subaru that shows two dogs identified as "Olive and Zelda" in the front seats of a Subaru Forester and doing "donuts" in a snow-covered parking lot.
Subaru clearly is hoping to fill the void left by the dog-friendly Honda Element, which was killed in December.
The new Subaru Game Day Dog Walk Event asks dog owners to pledge to walk their pooches on Super Bowl Sunday via Subaru.com or Facebook. Instead of tracking touchdowns, dog lovers will see "an up-to-the minute tracker that streams a live count of the number of dogs walking across the country." It is also sponsoring Animal Planet's "Puppy Bowl VII."
The Japanese automaker also said it will send doggie goodie bags — while supplies last — to participants. The freebies include Subaru-branded water bowls, Frisbees, stuffed animals, blankets and engraved dog tags.
Inside Line says: Subaru is clearly going to the dogs. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
Add A Comment »
tbone85 says:
08:45 PM, 01/24/2011
Organizing anti-I guess Subaru will be successful with the sports haters. It's amuzing whenever anyone reacts with so much negative energy to any event. To each his own.
clerk1892 says:
04:20 PM, 01/24/2011
Dumb.
orbit9090 says:
09:48 AM, 01/24/2011
Kudos to Subaru!
We hold our anti-superbowl party every year.
Once you've seen one football\basketball\baseball game, you've seen them ALL.
kkear3 says:
11:05 AM, 01/23/2011
Their stuff is ugly and so are of the people who drive them. Look at the picture: those two people look like dogs. Oh wait, never mind. But the cars are still butt-ugly!
dgmail says:
03:58 AM, 01/23/2011
Maybe that Japanese company can sponser something in Japan.
That where all of the profits are going anyways.
nidwaldner says:
08:54 PM, 01/22/2011
I love my Subaru and I'd rather be snowboarding than watching the Superbowl.
tazereli says:
07:52 PM, 01/22/2011
No lady gaga or cher for me...Turn on some Southern rock for me to be interested....may be Motown after that. or some Billy Joel for my wife
cz_75 says:
07:02 AM, 01/22/2011
Okay, what about the Lady Gaga concert series?
tazereli says:
12:30 AM, 01/22/2011
I dont count myself as a ballroom daning fan...then again I guess most WRX owners wouldnt either.
cz_75 says:
10:12 PM, 01/21/2011
However, they will sponsor the International Ballroom Dance Championships - which is more closely in line with their customer base and its interests.