New delhi, Sept 27: A young boy, taking off for the day. Just him and his dog, a Pug, a tenacious little creature with a scrunched up black face. Terribly cute and faithful, the pug follows his little master everywhere, across the football field, grassy meadows, empty streets, up the stairs. Just like Hutch, the mobile service, following you everywhere. Wherever you go, our network follows, runs the Hutch advertisement. One doesn't know what it has done for the mobile service, but it has certainly served as an ad for Pugs, creating an unprecedented demand for this sausage-like breed of dog. Before the ad, few knew Pugs existed, a breed dismissed even by some dog lovers as "too ugly." But after the ad, the image of the Pug has had a makeover, with kids and parents alike clamouring for a dog, "just like the one on TV". Agrees Dr S C Verma, a veterinarian at Defence Colony, who also runs a kennel, "After the Hutch ad, the demand for Pugs has seen a sharp increase by almost 20 per cent. Before, people were not even aware that the Pug existed, many thought it was too ugly." The Pug is not a very common breed - their numbers are limited, breeding is difficult and the litter small - and with this sudden rise in interest, the price of this already expensive dog has hit the roof. "A Pug normally would cost about Rs 15,000, now it can cost upwards of Rs 20,000," says Verma.
Dr Supriya Rana, who also helps people buy their pets, is quite amused by the buzz around the Pug. She was besieged by inquires, and while the exorbitant price has caused many a broken heart, especially among younger fans, a large number have returned home with a Pug pup in tow.
Ask Sarika Pilot, late Congress leader Rajesh Pilot's daughter. She bought a Pug and named it Hutch. Hutch and Pug are the same thing now, she says. It's not just the capital which has become the Pugs' best friend, the craze has spread to other metros as well.
Gauri Keskar, who runs a dog-grooming centre in Mumbai, had a sudden spurt of curious customers asking where they can get a pug. "People are getting more Pugs than before, I just had a customer telling me that he had no clue that Pugs are so cute, and is looking for a pup." The law of economics work the same in Mumbai and with more people queuing up for Pugs coupled with their limited supply has pushed up prices, by 25 per cent in some cases.
Meghna Singhal is enamoured by the loyal little creature and wants one for her four-year-old son. "It is his favourite ad, and the pup makes him laugh," she quips, a little distressed by the price. Pugs are the latest craze in the dog world, and die-hard lovers of the breed are piqued at this development.
Bhavna Ramrakhaini says the Pug in the ad looks just like her little Simba at home. When she takes her two Pugs for a walk, they have a faithful following of young admirers, curious about the dogs. "They always ask me if they are the ones in the ad. What they eat, play and whether they follow me everywhere," she laughs. "And yes they want to know where they can get them," Ramrakhiani adds. The toy breed is a loyal little creature, very affectionate and an ideal family dog and she wishes that people would look beyond the ad to appreciate this faithful canine, not just give in to a crazy impulse. The buzz around the pug has even invaded Cyberbia, the pug having inspired a loyal following of Netizens waxing eloquent about the pug. Copywriter Gopalkrishnan calls the O & M ad memorable, while another says that the ad inspired her to go in search of a similar canine.
Hutch has refused to comment on how their ad has attracted a demand for the four-legged star of their advertisement, but there is little doubt on who the star of the show is. To twist an old saying, every Pug has its day.