The dog says ‘moo’ ~ the “Born Different” campaign in Colorado Springs

Moo’ campaign sets off sparks

A gay-rights advertising campaign featuring a puppy who says “moo” has drawn scrutiny from some members of the Colorado Springs City Council, who said city light poles shouldn’t be used for political statements.

The Born Different ad campaign has been running since early June in TV commercials, on billboards, yard signs and other media.

The message is that gay people were born that way, and the ads are intended to start conversations on the topic, campaign organizers said.

Mayor Lionel Rivera and Councilman Bernie Herpin raised questions this week about campaign banners hanging from city light poles downtown. Other elements of the ad campaign more directly address the subject of sexual orientation, but the downtown banners show only the silhouette of a dog and the word “moo.”

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Gill Foundation spokesman Bobby Rauzon said Tuesday no city official had contacted the campaign about concerns over its content.

“This actually doesn’t have anything to do with anything political, it’s a simple effort to try and foster an honest dialogue, and I think that here in El Paso County that dialogue has been lacking,” he said.

“Maybe it’s worked. City councilors are talking about it. The mayor’s talking about it. We hope they continue talking about the puppy that moos.”

Read the whole article: ‘Moo’ campaign sets off sparks ~ By PERRY SWANSON ~ THE GAZETTE ~ July 12, 2006

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The dog says ‘moo’

[photo caption: Moos to you: Norman is the face of the “Born Different” campaign.]

As opposing groups work to sway voter opinion on same-sex unions, a puppy named Norman wants Colorado Springs residents to discuss a simpler question: Are people born gay?

The freckled visage and comical “moo” of the 10-week-old Brittany spaniel is popping up on local billboards, buses and street posts, and in theaters. Norman also stars in radio and television spots.

Read all of The dog says ‘moo’ – Springs is the target of a new public interest campaign ~ by Cate Terwilliger ~ The Colorado Springs Independent Newsweekly ~ July 13-19

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For Springs, domestic partnership an issue in dog days of summer

COLORADO SPRINGS – Norman vs. Sherman. It’s a dogfight.

And the biscuit these two puppies are tussling over is public perception of gays and lesbians.

Last month, pictures of a little Brittany spaniel named Norman began appearing on Colorado Springs light posts, billboards and television ads, uttering a one-syllable “Moo” instead of a “Woof.”

It was the Gill Foundation’s campaign to boost its message that gays and lesbians are “born different” and don’t really choose their sexual preference. That message is expanded on www.borndifferent.org

No sooner had Norman mooed than the machinery of Focus on the Family whirred to life to counter the Gill message.

James Dobson’s Colorado Springs-based ministry stands firmly against same-sex marriage, gay rights initiatives and, now, mooing puppies.

On Tuesday, Focus unveiled its new “straight” puppy Web site, www.no-moo-lies.com, featuring a basset hound named Sherman, who barks as biology intended. During a news conference, a Focus employee dressed in a dog suit, who serves as a mascot at the group’s visitors center, made a brief appearance.

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Tail of the tape

Norman

• Breed: Brittany spaniel
• Description: Energetic, intelligent, vigorous, easy to train.
• Physical characteristics: Mostly white, medium-length coat with orange, brown or black spots, 17 to 22 inches high at the shoulders, 30 to 45 pounds.
• Temperament: Considered sensitive and good-natured.

Sherman

• Breed: Basset hound
• Description: Short, descended from bloodhound.
• Physical characteristics: Smooth, short coat in combinations of white, brown and black, large head, long ears, short legs and stocky body. Usually 12 to 15 inches high at the shoulder, 50 to 65 pounds.
• Temperament: Mild-mannered, friendly, gentle.

Read the whole article: For Springs, domestic partnership an issue in dog days of summer ~ By Dick Foster, Rocky Mountain News ~ July 19, 2006