DDB Paris Exhibits Imaginary New Animal Species

Faced with a lump of Play-Doh, our sculpting abilities don't stretch much beyond a misshapen blob (it's a cat, honest!), but a new campaign for the modeling clay brand shows how - in the hands of more talented artists - fantastic animated creatures can emerge, like an ostrich with the feather pattern of a piñata, a carwash mop with eyes, and a piranha that can play music with its accordion-like body.

A follow-up to last year's Cannes Lions-winning campaign In the World of Play-Doh, The Gallery of Emerging Species, created by DDB Paris, aims to highlight the limitlessness that lies in a ball of clay.

The Gallery of Emerging Species is an online natural history museum that features quirky, imaginary animals made from modeling clay. Each species has a punny name, as well as a description that mimics those seen at real-life galleries. With the help of digital production studio Merci Michel, the creatures are even animated to come to life, move around and pull faces.

Check out some of the beasties below:

The Bearbee

The Discofrog

The Crabnibal

In addition to the online exhibit, each new "uncovered" species is shared on Facebook, where users can also share their own creature ideas. Play-Doh also has opened a "Visitors' Gallery" adjacent to the main gallery on the website, where the best and most imaginative species will be on display. By encouraging everyone to submit their ideas, Play-Doh promotes the limitlessness of a child's imagination.

Perhaps the most poignant point of The Gallery of Emerging Species is the environmental undertone of the piece. When children are encouraged to think creatively, they can do extraordinary things, including saving a planet where species are becoming extinct rather than emerging. As Play-Doh says, it is important to nuture children's inventiveness and imaginations becuase "the future is - literally - in their hands."