Looks like I wasn't off my rocker after all. In case you missed it, I previously posted about trouble with Dove's YouTube strategy as well as their Pro-Age ad that featured naked grannies. You can see the ad here. Basically, I said that while everyone should be allowed to feel good about themselves, Dove was taking the whole thing too far.
TV networks felt the same way, and spokespersons from Fox and NBC admitted their networks had rejected the ad. I don't know if the ad should have been banned, but I still think it was too much. While Dove may have been hoping to get some buzz going for their banned commercial, Ad Age says the ad (posted in German) has received only 600 views on YouTube, and traffic to Dove's website hasn't increased that much.
I still need to show my mom this ad to see what she thinks. While I'm sure it does appeal to some baby boomers, most people saw through this as a publicity stunt. Dove wanted the ad to be viral and build buzz; instead it repulsed people.
Related link: Ad Age: Why Dove Oldies Aren't on the Nets...or YouTube