Let me say this first off, I in no way think that discriminating against someone simply because they are physically disabled is acceptable but…

Using a twist on Aardman Animations “Creature Comforts” series to create “Creature Discomforts” possibly isn’t the right way to change the way people think about disability.

Particularly when you consider Spud the slug:

The real disabled man who gives a voice to Spud says: “Many people say – oh you’re in a wheelchair – you’re rubbish. You can’t do anything. A lot of it, it is ignorance.”

He speaks sense. But his words are coming from the mouth of a slug. In an electric wheelchair. And that completely undermines his point.

Maybe this is a clever trick by the producers of this advert to say “Put aside you prejudices about slugs/the disabled and listen to what he is saying”. If that is what they’re trying to do, it is way too subtle.

I think that this might make people change the way people think about those of us who are disabled but just maybe not in the way Leonard Cheshire would like us to.

Below there’s a version of the dogs advert (with some Spanish subtitles) and here’s the advert with Spud the slug in.