Dog Food

Background

Hong Kong children like to own pets and their parents encourage this. Unfortunately, children quickly grow tired of their ‘toys’ and as a result many pets are abandoned on the street. There are so many abandoned pets that the combined facilities of all Hong Kong animal protection societies cannot house them and many are eventually put down. Chinchilla and Pets Shop specialise in the sale of smaller animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchilla and wanted to make pet owners think twice about the long term fate of their pets.

Idea

To promote the idea that smaller abandoned animals could eventually become the breakfast, lunch or dinner of stray dogs, DDB Worldwide came up with the solution of canned ‘abandoned rabbit’ pet food. The unopened tin shows a picture of a wild dog with the copy ‘Delicious meaty meal, specially made for wild dogs’. Inside, a furry toy rabbit demonstrates what becomes of small animals that are bought as pets and then abandoned. The accompanying copy reiterates the message: ‘If you abandon this rabbit on the street, it will only become food for wild dogs. Therefore, become its owner for life’. Cans were displayed in pet shops and given away to all customers, encouraging children, parents and others to think twice before committing to becoming a pet owner.

Results

The soft toys inside the cans became a focal point wherever they were placed, especially for children, and helped raise awareness of the problem of abandoned animals.

Target Audience

Pet owners and purchasers.

Size

500 cans

Our Thoughts

Nice bit of lateral thinking here providing a new slant on the old ‘A pet isn’t just for Christmas’ thought. The idea is, when you abandon a small animal, bigger animals will eat it. It’s been brought to life with an analogy - it’s like you’re feeding the city’s wild dogs Pedigree Yum.