Mainstream advertising: “More and more, Furries are being hinted at in marketing media!”
by Patch O'Furr
No – this isn’t about regular anthro animals, or mascots like Tony the Tiger (as fabulous as he is.)
However, this regular Symbicort “wolf” ad has kept bringing occasional traffic since I posted it in the summer. People seem to want more of the animation:
There’s a million regular ads. Let’s focus on ones with specific awareness of Furry subculture.
First… the newest one I’ve seen: “Cage Dancing, bicurious furries.”
It’s a Slo Down Wines commercial from January 2015. The title is “Boxers/Furries”. They aim for outrageous, and have other commercials with S&M scenes.
S.F. Bay Area furries, Yippee and Microdile, got fursuit stardom in this computer company ad:
Who can forget the most outrageous ads, from Orangina in France?
These need no introduction, but: Calling All Furries: Orangina “Anytime” … and: The Strange, Sexy, Furry Orangina Ads.
On the subway in NYC: Casper Mattress company.
.@Casper is running ads on the NYC subway that bill it as "the perfect mattress for furries." pic.twitter.com/R0x6amcqrz
— Caroline McCarthy (@caro) February 4, 2015
Wider view of more parts of the ad here.
Here’s another mattress-related ad. I guess we represent “soft and fluffy” well:
“What you sleep in is your business.”
LOL, More and more, Furries are being hinted at in marketing media! pic.twitter.com/DyQKcwDaFE
At Pride in San Francisco, in the Castro:
Mini Cooper puts #Furries In their pride month ad? Win! pic.twitter.com/C2YQg4x1pN
— Faolan (@TheCoffeeSnolf) June 8, 2014
This was on a train during Furry Weekend Atlanta:
Do you know any more? Leave a comment!
Edit: Found another! DC Metro’s ad campaign:
Edit: I forgot to add this- it’s not marketing to the public, but 3D social network IMVU targeted furries with an appearance at Fur Con 2015.
… And a few days after I added that line, they just bought FurAffinity.
On Flayrah, Greenreaper’s response deepens this topic quite a bit:
There have been instances of corporate sponsorship at conventions (e.g. Monster Energy drinks and Furry Weekend Atlanta), and Second Life and LiveJournal have recognized the impact of furries in the past, but external investments and acquisitions of furry businesses are uncommon.
Update, January 2016: Puzzle Cheetah fursuits in ‘Subway’ ad in the UK.
Certain furries really want the mainstream media to recognize their existence.
I say bad idea. Are we in it because we like something and want to talk about it with others, or because we want to be noticed?
To put it even simpler: is it all about being in a fan club, or about getting attention?
I think “recognize it the right way” is not bad. As it grows it will be recognized. If it was an order of magnitude larger, we’d see more stuff like fan-led feature film projects (there’s been one real one to date), and that would be super cool. Recognition makes more stuff like that possible.
The bad part about the grassroots, DIY concept of “liking something and want to talk about it with others” – is after a certain point, all you have to talk about is talking about things.
Unapproved, unpaid fan culture is both awesome and limiting. The furry concept isn’t owned, unlike any other fan group based on media franchises. (I have heard few comparisons to other fan groups working the same way – but one that made sense was Ren Faires.) That brings certain potential.
One of the interesting things about “stigma” is it keeps companies from jumping in to take over. It’s an insulator. It’s not even bad to have jokes and weirdness about furries. As long as it isn’t malicious lies.
Of the above ads, I can only see them as funny/cool, except the wines one seems like somewhat of cheap exploitation – but hey, if they will boldly put their brand out with that vibe, they’re not exactly above it themselves.
Even attention-getting and shock has value. Marilyn Manson in the 90’s was doing interesting stuff that no mainstream artists do in these safe and boring days.
I don’t think there’s any use to complaining about attention, it’s what form it comes in. It seems that few furry fans now believe that kink shouldn’t exist, and it’s a sign that they aren’t worried about being weird. Weird is interesting.
I’m all for a little attention if it helps people to take a more positive, compassionate, and relaxed attitude towards the furry fandom as a whole.
I don’t particularly mind people seeing furries as “weird” (even though furries barely ping the bizarre-dar by my standards); what I mind is when that sentiment is tinged with contempt, hatred, smugness, disgust, or fear, or when people use ritual weirdo-bashing as a way to deny or distance themselves from their *own* flaws or quirks.
Ok,and for me,i don’t do no porn,and a-lot likes porn-artwork and i had i old friend that shown me porn-artwork and i just dealed,with it,and sometime’s friends split-up,becuse of porn-art,and at a later time i asked for that friend to just show the porn-artwork just to not upset that friend,and we did texting,and i may of been the best of the time,or the worst of time,and for a long time we just rollplay’ed,and both the friend,and me at the time was angel dragons,me i picked up Spyro the perple dragon,and i started rollplaying in group chats,i was a little adventerus,and i rollplay’ed,and ended being the un-sexy furry,and being sent like a smash attact from super Mario and,getting stuck in a tree,and i fainted,and someone,had to revive me,next to setting fires,to trees,of the time i was in group chats,and when,i could shelter my friends i would let them,and thang’s bounce of me,or at the time ceramic armor,and yes we have become portal masters,and for one thang if you know that porn-art is not for you,and your just a worker,and for me if you ask me do i like porn-art no,becuse my mom,and dad will not allow porn-art,and pach O’fur is right,and sometime we chose thang’s that some people don’t understand about,and so don’t worry,be furry,and it’s a hobby,and that’s all i can say for now,we all want something in common,and no measure of profection will help you,and if some people like or dislike porn that’s there own biding
Both,we entertain,and people,like being entertained,just like the cort jester was the original,mascot there ever was,and if i was my angel dragon and if you know dragons meat was on the table,and no I’m not eating you,and that go’s for my cheesecake-headed sergal gard,or my sergal civilion that im not eating you,and so ask.kessi.com,I’m gessing I’m like that person,and i Evan put myself in real world to comics,and put on a orange shirt on and had taqiutas,and a kid called me a dinosaur,and is that entertaining without me to stop eating,and maybe my shirt color that i had other than orange,was silver,and it’s becuse my last profile photo on Facebook was a cheesecake-headed sergal,so I’m i clear that what I’m saying is true,and you can look at my Facebook account if you know my name,so show me a photo,and ask me what I’d do if i was that something in the photo you shown me,so the fandom,is a fan club,and entertainer’s,and that’s a hobby
The Atlanta poster may be in reference to Furry Weekend Atlanta, which is actively promoted and supported by the city and local businesses.
Thanks Mark – this is interesting to hear. I know it happens in Pittsburgh, but I haven’t heard of too much activity like that elsewhere. Let me know if you have any more details. It’s basically what this post is about.
Here’s one I just remembered. A Dropcam ad where the product narcs out a teen who said he didn’t have a party at the house. Pictured is a Furry (a rabbit fursuiter). Hey, it must be a wild party if a Furry attended. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toRkYhR9Xkw
I think it’s borderline because an easter bunny suit can be a regular “wild party” thing, but it’s funny 🙂 There’s a donkey too! It’s just missing bikers.
I’m,with pach o’fur on this one,and,judge,me on these,why,was i a angel dragon,that i was Spyro the dragon,next,i was being a person,in a video game,and rollplay’ed that something,and last,i was a cheesecake-headed sergal,and not the crazy sexual furry that did that,and ate you,and ive shown real world hobbys,with tool,and saying I’ll repair your tools before you need them,and tournaments was one of them,and i worked with gemstones,and shaped them myself,and all it was me useing photos of gemstones,and thinking of shaping them,and yes,for bikers,that can be like jetpack joyride,and that game has a bike in it,and for me being the hunter,and the hunted I’m both,and for me if i need to I’ll be my angel dragon,and my cheesecake-headed sergal will be the heavily stuff for me to do,and you say stop I’ll stop if you ask me,and so i hope I’m to strange for my reply,and that’s all,I’ve got to say that we have something in common,and no measure of profection,will help you,it only works in video games,and that’s how it is,no if’s,and’s,or how come
Here’s one I saw years ago but didn’t remember until today. (I saw a squirrel and it reminded me.) Not the most flattering portrayal. I laughed more when I saw it years ago, before I knew about Furry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKEvtLKjue4
Okay, how about this: a bank commercial which is a profile of an effects house that shows their furry effects: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF9iCapy1zA
From what I read online, that Tropicana ad is a photoshop. The original ad said “Flurries” (as in snow flurries). But I agree these are all signs of our fandom moving into the mainstream or already being a part of it. Movies like Furtopia wouldn’t have been made without the Furry Fandom’s influence.
I worked as a radio DJ for 20 years and saw Punk, Alternative, Hip-Hop and EDM all begin as underground and mostly independently made music that was ridiculed and thought of being too extreme or edgy. Much of it was kept off USA radio for part of the 80’s and 90’s. But they all became part of the mainstream culture when their fandom grew and big record labels found there was money to be made.
That we are a “Do It Yourself” fandom is one of the things I love about Furry..that we are fans of but don’t worship or directly copy whatever comes out of Hollywood or Tokio makes us different from other fandoms. But that could easily change if the big business starts invading our fandom.
Thanks Bill! It makes no sense to me, that the ad could be a photoshop… it says Atlanta, and there aren’t any flurries there. But correct me if it’s a hoax because internet truth is never easy.
Yes I agree, DIY is my favorite part of this fan group too, and I’m glad you recognize it 🙂 I don’t hear the term used very often here.
Here’s a long piece of thoughts about why Furry has parts that make it impossible to digest by the mainstream. http://dogpatch.press/2015/03/31/community-commodity/ – parts that are simultaneously divisive while bringing the value of independence.
IT isn’t about the fandom becoming a mainstream thing, this is solely a marketing tactic. Yes, it does banish a bit of stigma’s, but honestly ya gotta view for what it is. Companies realize we are not only fabulous, but have a place in the world and isn’t that something to be happy about? We aren’t viewed nearly as bad anymore and with time we can be just another niche thing that people poke fun at, instead of hate with such intensity. Gotta give props to the companies with balls, whom are willing to do this. Something tells me though each and everyone of them may have a fur in their main office. Again though, it’s a marketing tactic, nothing more. However any good publicity our fandom can get is appreciated by this coyote! Keep on keeping on my fellow furs!
Sorry if someone else brought this up, didn’t have time to read all the comments!
the ad with the bunny doesn’t correctly relay there message because the so called “unattended bag” could be the bunny’s After all he is here for the convention right?