It’s a quarter of a century since the nation was stopped in its tracks by a dog saying the word ‘bugger’. This is the complete history of Buggermania – the ad, the controversy, and the enduring legacy.
When Hercules the dog passed away in 2004, his body lay in state for several days and was visited by over 2000 members of the public. The 6pm news assembled a package of his greatest film and television work, soundtracked by ‘Fields of Gold’ by Sting. Messages of condolence ran in all the newspapers, remembering his “toothy charm, intelligence and beautiful nature.” The NZ Herald ran a black page with just one word to express their grief: bugger.
Hercules was the mud-splattered star of the 1999 Toyota Hilux “Bugger” ad which, although now a quarter-century old, remains one of the most talked-about popular culture moments in New Zealand history. Not only is it one of the top five most complained-about ads of all time, the Bugger ad launched screeds of unofficial merchandise from tyre covers, to hats, to number plates, and is thought to have single-handedly shifted the wider public attitude towards the expletive and advertising standards.
