Property search site Zoopla puts hermit crabs at the center of a new U.K. campaign, rather than traditional home buyers -- and the results are rather endearing.

Human voices discussing Zoopla are set to footage of crabs crawling along with homes constructed on their backs. There are jokes about making sure the neighborhood is safe (as a crab hurries past some aggressive seagulls) and commuting (as they get stuck in a crab traffic jam). The campaign is by London agency 101 and were directed by its joint executive creative director, Augusto Sola, with production by Riff Raff.

The endearing voiceovers are somewhat reminiscent of the well-known British Gas "Creature Comforts" campaign from the 1990s, in which the creatures were supplied by Aardman. But adding hermit crabs and some modern model making/CGI gives the idea a different slant, and it's an original way to stand out in the online real estate market. We're told the 60 second spot is an introduction to the entire cast of crab characters, who will appear in further work for the brand throughout the year.