The New Andrex Puppy - Cost cutting or Inspired Marketing?

My world has been thrown up-side down. Andrex’s cute golden Labrador puppy, which has fronted the brand’s advertising campaigns since 1972, has been abandoned in favour of a computer generated alternative. You may have seen the new advert in which the cyber-pup made his/her first appearance. I have embedded the ad below so you can see it. Reaction is bound to be mixed. As a real-life Lab owner I’m going to miss the scenes of the puppy running off with the loo-roll. But I can also see that the computer-animated pooch will provide the brand with significantly more options in terms of advert storylines. I’ve put one of the older (real puppy) ads below too, so you can make the comparison…

Here is the new puppy:

...and here is the old…