NBC pulls Nike ad spoofing chain-saw attack

NEW YORK, (Reuters) -- NBC, responding to viewer complaints, has dropped a commercial for Nike sports shoes and clothing featuring a female Olympic runner being pursued by a chain saw-wielding man.

A spokesman said Tuesday that the ad, which was aired over the weekend as NBC kicked off its coverage of the Olympics in Sydney, had been pulled because of complaints. He did not say how many the network received.

"We were fully prepared to react quickly" to complaints, said Rick Gitter, who oversees advertising standards for General Electric owned NBC. The network had accepted the ad "with some trepidation," and "subject to significant adverse audience reaction," he said.

The spot, by the Portland, Ore.-based agency Wieden & Kennedy, is part of a campaign with the theme "Why Sport?" promoting Nike's sponsorship of the Games.

In a spoof of horror movies, the commercial features U.S. Olympic runner Suzy Hamilton being chased by a masked man through a house and then into dark woods. But she puts on a burst of speed and leaves her attacker panting in the dust.

As he drops his weapon, the words appear on the screen: "Why sport? Because you'll live longer."

There was no immediate comment from Nike, but a spokeswoman for the ad agency told the New York Times that although it had expected some complaints, it was "unfortunate" NBC dropped the ads.

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