Euro RSCG South Africa's creative take on doggy stress has not only caught the eye of local consumers but has secured the agency a spot in Lürzer's Archive (week 25/2010), the global bi-monthly showcase of exceptional print and TV advertising.
The agency was tasked with building awareness and sales for Calmdog, Nurtureline's all-natural doggie equivalent to popping a chill pill. A unique blend of herbs, Calmdog calms the nervous system and helps keep dogs calm in stressful situations. Like going to the vet. Or staying in the kennels over Christmas. Or, if you're Euro RSCG, something with a lot more humour.
Rather than illustrate the product's use through exclusively dog-related scenarios, Euro RSCG blended the human and the canine. "The campaign sells Calmdog in a way which pet owners can relate to, by taking stressful human situations and translating them into a pet's world," says James Daniels, executive creative director of Euro RSCG South Africa.
Euro RSCG's series of print ads humorously reminds pet owners that humans don't have a monopoly on stress, as the cast of put-out pooches clearly illustrates.
In "Fat Dog", a stocky bulldog discovers with dismay that of all the doggie classes out there, he's landed himself a spot in a class full of sleek, lithe Weimeraners, Salukis and Red Setters.
In "Same Top", two Chihuahuas find themselves in an excruciatingly embarrassing fashion moment when they're spotted strutting the pavements in the same doggie jerseys.
And seated on the passenger seat next to his aged owner, eyes almost popping from his head, the Wirehair Pointer in "Granny" is clearly in need of a shot of Calmdog, "because pets have stress too".
In addition to the print ads, the agency also produced three executions for radio, with voice artists at their barking best, giving voices (and the occasional whine) to dogs who find themselves in tricky situations, like the faithful old dog in "New Puppy" whose master returns home with a cute little interloper.
The creative pack behind the ads
- Executive creative director: James Daniels
- Art director: Romy Lunz
- Copywriter: Balekane Mokoditoa
- Photographer: Michael Meyersfeld
- Retoucher: Rob Frew
Click the links below to listen to the radio ads:
- Training.mp3 [1MB]
- Clothes.mp3 [1MB]
- New Puppy.mp3 [1MB]
