A handsome cast of cats and dogs shows Battersea's power
The uplifting new Rescue Is Our Favourite Breed campaign for the animal charity presents the abandoned animals as heroic soon-to-be companions, rather than victims.
Credits
powered by- Agency FCB Inferno/London
- Production Company Annex Films
- Director Mateo Willis
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Credits
powered by- Agency FCB Inferno/London
- Production Company Annex Films
- Director Mateo Willis
- Post Production Framestore/London
- Chief Creative Officer Owen Lee
- Chief Creative Officer Al Young
- Creative Director Austin Hamilton
- Creative Director Jessica Giles
- Executive Vice President Sharon Jiggins
- Editor Jude Moore
- Head of Creative Production Mike Jenkins
- Senior Art Director Steve Clark
- Producer Hans Elias
- Production Manager Tasha Ponton
- Production Manager Becky Swindale
- Production Manager Danielle Smith-Rewse
- 1st AD Fred Robinson
- Grade Steffan Perry
- Flame Artist Tim Osborne
- Producer Sian Jenkins
- Editor Eve Ashwell
- Producer Daniel Breheny
- Sound Designer Ed Downham
Credits
powered by- Agency FCB Inferno/London
- Production Company Annex Films
- Director Mateo Willis
- Post Production Framestore/London
- Chief Creative Officer Owen Lee
- Chief Creative Officer Al Young
- Creative Director Austin Hamilton
- Creative Director Jessica Giles
- Executive Vice President Sharon Jiggins
- Editor Jude Moore
- Head of Creative Production Mike Jenkins
- Senior Art Director Steve Clark
- Producer Hans Elias
- Production Manager Tasha Ponton
- Production Manager Becky Swindale
- Production Manager Danielle Smith-Rewse
- 1st AD Fred Robinson
- Grade Steffan Perry
- Flame Artist Tim Osborne
- Producer Sian Jenkins
- Editor Eve Ashwell
- Producer Daniel Breheny
- Sound Designer Ed Downham
Understandably, many animal charity ads tend to play on the devastating predicament our canine/feline pals find themselves in, in order to draw our tears (and funds) to their plight.
However, in their uplifting new campaign, Battersea has changed the tune, instead putting forward the lovable critters as heroic characters rather than empathy-inducing victims.
Featuring a cast of genuine rescue cats and dogs, Rescue Is Our Favourite Breed from FCB Inferno delightfully showcases the wannabe pets as bursting with personality, with character, quirks and lots to give.
Shot by Annex Films' Mateo Willis (himself no stranger to animals on-camera, being a two-time BAFTA and Emmy award winner for his work on Blue Planet 2, Planet Earth 2, Frozen Planet, Human Planet and Dynasties), the dynamic film is chock-full of charm and charisma, without a sympathy-shot in sight.
Speaking of the work, Willis said, “I once had a rescue dog from Battersea so I already had great respect for the work they do. The challenge was to connect the audience to the cats and dogs. In every frame the energy and character of these animals needed to shine through. I’m proud to say we’ve achieved this.
"For the commercial to work we needed a great cast. These animals were the perfect improv actors; engaged, present, completely authentic and happy to work off-script. They were a great showcase for what a rescue pet has to offer."
“With Rescue Is Our Favourite Breed," Sharron Jiggins, EVP at FCB Inferno adds, "we joyfully celebrate rescue pets as individuals, portraying them as heroes not victims and showing rescue pets as the best pets, who all deserve a second chance and a happy home. In doing so we want to fundamentally change perceptions by elevating rescue to a breed in its own right.
"We want people to get behind the campaign message of Rescue Is Our Favourite Breed by celebrating and elevating rescue, whilst tackling misconceptions along the way. A driver for this will be the use of the hashtag #RescueIsMyFavouriteBreed across all campaign and social media, encouraging existing rescue owners to embrace and use it.”