This has to be a first.

Notice anything different about Dodge's ad? Not only did the company agree to "never [use] great apes in [its] advertisements again" after PETA alerted the carmaker to the beatings and other abuses that performing chimpanzees are subjected to behind the scenes, it also digitally altered the ad that started it all to make the chimpanzee disappear.

Dodge also issued a statement explaining why the chimpanzee had to go: "They [PETA and Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest] told us how these animals are usually separated from their mothers at a young age and are usually discarded at seedy roadside attractions after they get too old to act."

The news of Dodge and PETA's détente quickly went viral. A Taiwanese media company even got into the act with a hilarious animated "reenactment" of the disappearing-ape saga, complete with pyrotechnics.

Is it just me, or does Taiwan's idea of a PETA boss look eerily like Jason Statham?

Written by Alisa Mullins

The prestigious Telly Awards "honor the very best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions." And guess who just won four—yes, count 'em, four—Tellies this year for outstanding public service announcements (PSAs)? You got it: PETA!

Eli Roth's spot about the link between animal abuse and violence against people took the bronze in the Public Service category.

Both our Thanksgiving PSA, reminding viewers that the holidays can be murder on turkeys and our too-hot-for-TV "Veggie Love" ad took silver awards in the Nonprofit Campaign category.

And my favorite, PETA's "Stolen for Fashion" ad featuring the voices of Pink and Ricky Gervais, also won Nonprofit Campaign silver:

Check it out, and then tell us which PETA PSA is your fave.

Written by Paula Moore

Here's some monkey business that PETA applauds: BBDO's clever, cute, and completely animal-friendly new ad for GE, featuring snow monkeys who are undisturbed in their natural habitat. There's even an animatronic monkey "hand"—watch for it:

This isn't the only masterpiece from BBDO. Remember Monster.com's fiddle-playing animatronic beaver ad? That was by BBDO too. (Pop-culture mea culpa: I didn't watch the Super Bowl—I know, I know. But after watching the Monster.com ad, I'm wondering what other memorable moments I missed out on. C'est la vie.)

BBDO's innovative work and pledge never to use great apes in ads means that the agency has rejected industry exploitation of animals who are stolen from their mothers, locked in tiny cages, and subjected to daily intimidation and beatings before they are dumped at wretched roadside zoos when they grow too strong or old to perform.

For its commitment to using alternatives to animal "actors," BBDO is the newest recipient of our Humane Ad Agency Award. Of course, many other companies still abuse animals in order to sell their products. Won't you take a cue from BBDO and find out more about what you can do to help animals who are abused in the entertainment industry?

Written by Heather Drennan

With the Super Bowl fast approaching, all eyes are on CBS and its plans to run an anti-abortion ad featuring college-football-star-to-watch Tim Tebow, sponsored by Focus on the Family. "We have for some time moderated our approach to advocacy submissions after it became apparent that our stance did not reflect public sentiment or industry norms on the issue," said CBS spokesperson Dana McClintock—the same woman who cited the network's "general policy against airing advocacy advertisements" when CBS refused to air our "Pizza Delivery" ad in 2004.

Apparently, the times are a-changin', and we're left asking a question: Do CBS' actions herald an era in which our provocative spots will see airtime? We hope so! But for now, as the advertising debate rages on, we're happy taking a trip down memory lane. Over at Too Hot for TV headquarters, we've collected all our past banned commercials. Remember last year when NBC nixed our scintillating "Veggie Love" Super Bowl ad—and it went on to become a viral phenomenon? Well, that's only the tip of the infotainment iceberg, which includes all the classics—from "Milk Gone Wild" to Joaquin Phoenix's Thanksgiving PSA.

Here's to next year: the year we'll (hopefully) make it onto a list of top 10 Super Bowl commercials that actually aired.

Written by Logan Scherer

squidoo / CC

With 2010 fast approaching, the holiday shopping season is at its peak, and the business of year-end listmaking is well underway. We couldn't resist the urge to take inventory of '09, so we're counting down our five favorite animal-friendly ads of the year—from CGI hamsters to Claymation squirrels. The companies on our list offer further proof that promoting compassion toward animals is as easy as saying "yes" to educating people about our furry friends and saying "no" to the abuse of animals in the entertainment industry—animals who are denied food as a means of forcing them to perform on cue and who are often beaten when they don't do as commanded. Here are 2009's finest GOODY-winning marketing masterpieces:

5. AT&T: "LG Xenon Mobile Phone." When a lucky woman gets to use her cell-phone to transform the real world, the first change she makes is to swap a barbecue restaurant with a vegetarian paradise—delicious, cellular, cruelty-free brilliance.
4. Ask.com: "Mutts Are Better." In this thoughtful commercial, a man asks his wife whether purebreds or mutts are better, and she proudly answers mutts, of course! Here's another no-brainer: Is Ask.com awesome?
3. Mutual of Omaha: "Aha Moment." We still get goosebumps every time we see this mother beam over her 6-year-old son's decision to donate money to homeless animals instead of asking for birthday gifts.
2. Diamond Foods, Emerald Nuts: "The Nut Snob." Claymation squirrels with French accents—um, more, s'il vous plaît!
1. Kia Motors: "A New Way to Roll." This year, Kia taught us that vehicular envy isn't unique to the human species. Four wheels are always better than one—even if you're a CGI hamster.

Written by Logan Scherer

You'll have to wait until the big unveiling tomorrow to find out which celebrity took it all off in our latest "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" ad, but here's a clue: She can out-sass, out-bake, and now out-strip any of her real co-stars, and frankly, the only thing we have to say to her is "Bravo."

Post your guesses in the comments section, and keep your eyes peeled for this reveal.

Written by Logan Scherer