BBDO New York launched a new online spot called “The Walk” as part of Pedigree’s global “Feed the Good” effort — which also includes efforts in Brazil and Australia.
“The Walk” follows a curmudgeonly (and apparently racist) old white man, who makes sure to lock his house up tight before venturing out for a walk with his mastiff. As he makes his way through a predominantly black neighborhood, he scoffs and glares at passerbys, and eventually approaches a young man walking his pitbull puppy. He initially gives the young man the same cold treatment he does everyone else in the community, but as the two dogs greet each other and become fast friends he can’t help but warm and soon the two humans have made a connection as well. Taking on racism is pretty ambitious for a dog food brand, and BBDO New York may have bitten off more than it can chew here as the implication that Pedigree helped mitigate racism feels forced, if not ridiculous — especially since the ad ends on a shot of the owner feeding the pitbull puppy Pedigree. While the message of dogs bringing out the good in people works well in the real-life story of the Brazilian ad and the less complex Australian scenario, it can’t help but feel a little muddied here. Still, BBDO’s “Feed the Good” campaign is doing a lot to shake up a tired category and we’re intrigued to see where the agency will take it next.
Credits:
Client: Mars/Pedigree
Title: “The Walk”
Agency: BBDO New York
Chief Creative Officer, Worldwide: David Lubars
Executive Creative Director: Greg Ketchum
Executive Creative Director: Tom Godici
Creative Director: Greg Gerstner
Associate Creative Director: Banks Noel
Creative Director: Andy Blood
Art Director: Scott Kelly
Copywriter: Ben Polkinghorne
Director of Integrated Production: David Rolfe
Senior Content Producer: Sofia Doktori
Head of Music Production: Rani Vaz
Group Planning Director: Crystal Rix
Managing Director: Kirsten Flanik
Senior Account Director: Mark Mulhern
Account Director: Sally Nathans
Account Manager: Brandon Jansa
Account Executive: Rachel Greenlee
Production Company: Park Pictures
Director: Lance Acord
Executive Producer: Jackie Kelman Bisbee
Executive Producer: Dinah Rodriguez
Head of Production: Anne Bobroff
EP / Producer: Caroline Kousidonis
Editorial: Whitehouse Post
Editor: Russell Icke
Assistant Editor: James Donahue
Executive Producer: Lauren Hertzberg
Producer: Alejandra Alarcon
Post Production: CarbonVFX
Colorist: Ben Gibbs
Lead flame: Matt Reilly
Flame Assistant: Joe Scaglione
Executive Producer: Frank Devlin
Producer: Bree Bracket
Music: Barking Owl
Audio Post: Sound Lounge
Mixer & Sound Designer: Tom Jurcarone