Kibble rains down over a Yorkshire village, much to the delight of its canine residents, in a new TV campaign for dog food brand Harringtons. It is the first work by the creative agency Dog Cat & Mouse since winning the account in a three-way pitch earlier this year.
Narrated by a small dog called Yorkshire Terry, Harrington’s first brand character, the 30” execution sees a ‘miracle’ kibble downpour bring Terry’s canine mates out to eat as much as possible. Set to the Culture Club track, ‘It’s A Miracle’, Terry explains how Harringtons is made with fresh meat, making it a premium dog food yet affordable for all.
We spoke to Steve Stokes, Planning Partner at Dog Cat & Mouse, to learn more.
What was the brief?
A campaign with legs (sorry) that would force re-appraisal of the brand. A multi-media idea which could carry the news about the product development (it now has fresh meat) and engage emotionally.
How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?
We always aim to deliver work which engages emotionally and stands out within the category. We presented several routes many of which the client loved. All of them centred around the concept of the democratisation of premium dog food for all.
There were three strong routes that best answered the brief, which were all put through qual and quant research. Terry won paws down. The qual researcher told us that it was the best received script he’d researched in years!
What was the process behind ideating the concept?
We knew we wanted three things at the heart of the campaign:
- To dial positive emotion up to 11 – (a great track can certainly help this)
- A wide range of dogs to evoke democratisation and
- An idea at the heart which dramatized the idea of ‘premium dog food for all’ (hence the kibble from heaven idea)
By the end of the process, it was musically Culture Club vs Minnie Riperton vs Fat Les ;-)
Boy George won.
What was the production process like?
Working with dogs is always amusing. Creating a miraculous downpour of kibble from the heavens across Yorkshire was not.
Having the two things happen simultaneously in a studio in Acton was a recipe for chaos on a grand scale.
The rest of the production was like clockwork.
What was the biggest challenge during production? How did you overcome it?
The ad’s full of dogs – need I say more? We also eeded to simulate a miraculous hail storm of kibble – not easy. Layer upon layer was shot as separate elements on green screen. Neil Harris has the patience of a saint.
The time of year was also a challenge. The client wanted the film to look and feel like Spring / Summer. But the shoot was Dec/Jan. In the end we decided not to shoot on location in Yorkshire because the weather was just too unreliable.
Instead, we had a small unit stationed up there for breaks in the weather to shoot background plate shots and then shot the foreground action green screen at Black Island. Matching camera angles with dogs with big personalities was a challenge.
What kit/tools/software were used to create the project?
A lot of green screen and crazy, Heath Robinson style kibble delivering rigs like you’ve never seen.
What is one funny or notable thing that happened during production?
Terry (the hero dog) peed on the director’s Hermes man-bag.
What’s the main message of this project and why does it matter?
The main message is that Harringtons is premium dog food made affordable for all – ‘posh nosh at a proper price’. It matters because until now dog food of this quality, made with fresh meat was only available to those with deep pockets. It is of course more pertinent now than ever.
How long did it take from inception to delivery?
4 months, as there were two round of research.
What do you hope it achieves for the brand?
Recruit new customers and cement the brand’s position as the No1 dog food in the UK.
In addition, it gives them a property (Yorkshire Terry) that has the potential to be central to their comms for years to come.
Credit list for the work?
Creative agency: Dog Cat & Mouse
Creative Director: Jo Tanner
Art Director: Mark Howard
Copywriter: Jo Tanner
Planning Partner: Steve Stokes
Director/Production Co: Neil Harris / Smuggler
Producer: Jason Scanlon
Editor: Andy Philips
Post Production: No8
Sound Design: Owen Griffiths
