These adorable pet adoption posters aren't what they seem
Campaign from Dave Thomas Foundation is looking for a different kind of parent
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Pet adoption campaigns are full of somber shots of big-eyed animals who need a home. Their ubiquity is a testament to their effectiveness, so nothing seemed out of the ordinary to Ontario commuters, who saw a new set of posters featuring dogs, cats and rabbits clutched in the arms of children.
But when prospective pet parents visited the website on those posters, they ended up in a bait-and-switch. McCann Toronto puts viewers face-to-face with kids—not pets—who need a new home, in a campaign for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption-Canada, an organization begun by the Wendy’s founder, who was adopted as an infant.
“We’re sorry if you thought we were talking about pets,” says the site, UpForAdoption.ca. “We had to do something to get your attention because more than 30,000 children are waiting to be adopted from foster care in Canada.”
Donation links fund adoption agencies through the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program. Ads will run on TV, digital and social channels and out-of-home placements.
And if anyone really does want to adopt a pet, the Ontario SPCA is in on the gag, too. There’s a link to the shelter program at the bottom of the site.
Credits
- Date
- Nov 20, 2019
- Client :
- Dave Thomas Foundation
- Chief Creative Officer :
- Eric Silver
- Chief Creative Officer :
- Josh Stein
- Executive Creative Director :
- Nir Refuah
- Chief Strategy Officer :
- Dustin Rideout
- Senior Copywriter :
- Peter Sherer
- Copywriter :
- Heather Bryant
- Senior Art Director :
- Lise Larson
- Art Director :
- Maryann Tenaglia
- Creative Director Design :
- Stephen Tasker
- VP Business Lead :
- Patrick O’Donovan
- Account Supervisor :
- Alexandra Lindsay
- EP Director of Production :
- Jacqueline Bellmore
- Senior Producer :
- Vanessa Birze
- SVP Director of Technology :
- Dylan Dempsey
- UX Architect :
- Julia Cohen
- QA Manager :
- Rami Aharonov
- VP Client Advice and Management :
- Ishma Alexander-Huet
- Director Communications Design :
- Raichelle Ursua
- Supervisor Communications Design :
- Dave Kutner
- Executive Producer :
- Tom Nesbitt
- Photographer :
- Derek Shapton
- Digital Tech :
- Jeff Jamison
- AC :
- Keenan Orrange
- Casting :
- Milo Casting
- Mad Cat Wrangling :
- Jordan Worrell
- Senior Project Manager :
- Manny Augusto
- Production Artist :
- Michelle Kennedy
- Graphic Designer :
- Peter Rambachan
- Graphic Artist :
- Pedro Rodrigues
- Director Marketing & Communications :
- Alison Cross
- Assistant Events & Development :
- Kylie White
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