McGruff the Crime Dog

McGruff the Crime Dog

McGruff the Crime Dog is an anthropomorphic cartoon bloodhound created by Saatchi & Saatchi through the Ad Council for the National Crime Prevention Council for use by American police in building crime awareness among children. He debuted in July 1980.^[1] The character was created by John Young. The motto "Take a Bite out of Crime" was invented by John M. Keil (born in Rochester, New York), who also did McGruff's voice for many years. After two years on the air, a nationwide contest was opened to name the character. The most common entry was "Sherlock Bones". Other entries included "J. Edgar Dog", "Sarg-dog", and "Keystone Kop Dog". The winner, McGruff the Crime Dog, was submitted by a New Orleans police officer. In some of McGruff's advertisements, he appears with his nephew "Scruff".

McGruff reaches kids through commercials, songs and booklets from the National Crime Prevention Council, talking about drugs, bullying, safety and the importance of staying in school. Recently, McGruff has appeared in commercials addressing identity theft. The character is often used with his motto "Take a bite out of crime!" He also reaches kids through personal appearances as both puppets (often used in classrooms) and costumes worn by police officers nationwide. In a 1990 commercial, Ralph Edwards appeared to honor McGruff's 10th anniversary with a This Is Your Life themed ad.

In 2005, a new identity theft warning campaign was launched in honor of his 25th birthday.^[2]

McGruff Houses and trucks

A McGruff House is a designated house bearing a McGruff logo indicating that it is a safe refuge for children who feel they are in danger. The first McGruff House was opened in Utah in 1982, and there are currently about 700 McGruff House programs throughout the United States. The program is similar to one in the 1970s in which a picture of a red hand was placed in the window of neighborhood houses that provided refuge.

Similarly, there is a program whereby public utility and government work trucks can display a decal identifying the occupant as someone who can be approached if a child feels that they are in danger, or lost, or otherwise distraught.

See also

• Fred McGriff, a baseball player nicknamed "Crime Dog" because of the similarity of his name
• List of dogs
• McGruff Monster Truck
• National Night Out
• Neighbourhood Watch

References

1. ^ "McGruff Timeline". National Crime Prevention Council. Archived from the original on 2006-10-05. http://web.archive.org/web/20061005004704/http://www.ncpc.org/publications/catalyst/archives/mar05_timeline.php. Retrieved 2006-10-12. 
2. ^ On the Internet, Nobody Knows You're a Crime Dog June 27, 2005

External links

• McGruff.org
• National Crime Prevention Council
• McGruff House program
• McGruff Child ID Program
• McGruff Safe Kids
• McGruff Specialty Products Office
• Stop the Bully Game created by Animax Entertainment