TBWA is looking to expose the cruel practice of puppy farming in its
pre-Christmas campaign for the National Canine Defence League.
The 50-second cinema commercial, ‘spot the dog’, shows two identical
spaniel puppies photographed in black and white and staring out at the
viewer.
An uninterested voiceover explains their differences: ‘The dog on the
left was bred at a puppy farm. The dog on the right wasn’t.’ It then
says that a dog from a puppy farm may grow up to develop cataracts, hip
problems and ‘could ultimately become a danger to your children’. It
ends with the twist: ‘Or is it the other way around?’ The puppies then
sneak a look at each other as the screen fades.
The film is part of a mixed- media campaign, which includes national
press ads, advertorials and direct response postcards focused on cinema
outlets nationwide.
The campaign was written by Trevor Beattie, TBWA’s creative director,
and art directed by Steve Chetham. The ad was directed by Paul Bussell
through his company, Paul Bussell Films.
Beattie said: ‘The NCDL has decided to become a campaigning
organisation. We wanted to point out the evils of puppy farming in a
positive way by showing the puppies looking great, while also explaining
that when you take one home it could turn into a monster.’
TBWA scooped the NCDL’s pounds 400,000 account in March.
