Kids Tell Sweet Stories About Where Puppies Come From, Only to Break Your Heart

Ask a group of kids where puppies come from, and they'll tell you wondrous stories of frolicking in Puppyland and playing with puppy friends. That's how The Humane Society of the United States begins its latest campaign launching on the glorious holiday that is National Dog Day. While things start out bright and cheery with the children painting pictures of puppies living the life in high-rise Manhattan puppy condos or in a world full of treats, the spot, created by Rokkan, takes a dark turn. While children have one way of looking at the world, the truth is many puppies come from puppy mills where, as one kid puts it, dogs "don't get kisses, they don't get good nights, they don't get nothing." It's a heartbreaking message to have the youngsters deliver, especially after their fantastical descriptions at the beginning. "Ask a child a simple question, and you'll get answers that are unfiltered, strange and beautiful," said Rokkan CCO Brian Carley. "These are the kind of answers we all wish were true. With these films, we take our viewers on a journey that's fantastical and silly, but it also makes it easier to tell the actual origin story that is cruel and hard to swallow." The campaign, "Don't Buy Into Puppy Mills," also includes three 30-second spots. Those looking to contribute in some way can sign a puppy pledge promising not to buy dogs online or from pet stores and to always consider pet adoption. "The work is meant to appeal to anyone who has the tiniest compassion for animals and care about their ongoing welfare," said Rokkan CEO John Noe. "From a more actionable point of view, we also wanted to reach people actively looking to purchase a dog as a pet." CREDITS ROKKAN: Chief Creative Officer – Brian Carley Chief Strategy Officer – Sean Miller Chief Technical Officer – Jim Blackwelder SVP, Chief Delivery Officer – Joe Tao SVP, Client Partnership – Matt Garcia SVP, Media and Analytics – Lindsay Williams Senior Media Strategist - Lorraine Schwartz Associate Strategist – Spice Walker Account Director – Kim Svarney Creative Director – Jeff Samson Creative Director – Anthony DiPaula Associate Creative Director – Noel Nickel Senior Art Director – Steff Wilson Senior Developer – Dusan Milko Producer – Maxine Ho Executive Producer (Hone Production) – Greg Tharp Senior Producer (Hone Production) – Tina Lam PRODUCTION: Production Company - Honor Society Director: Lara Shapiro Executive Producer – Megan Kelly Producer – Trevor Herrick Director of Photography: Adam Beckman EDIT: Fluid Editorial Executive Producer – Laura Relovsky Senior Producer – Michelle Seidenfrau Editor – Peter Sabatino Assistant Editor – Stephen Ortega Assistant Editor – Dan Nasser AUDIO: Mr. Bronx Audio Executive Producer – Claudia Gaspar Sound Design + Mixer – Eric Hoffman Sound Design + Mixer – Dave Wolfe MUSIC: JSM Music CCO – Joel Simon Executive Producer – Jeff Fiorello ANIMATION: Director: Buck Executive Creative Director: Orion Tait Executive Producer: Anne Skopas Creative Director: Thomas Schmid Senior Producer: Kevin Hall Production Coordinator: Alexi Yeldezian Art Directon: Thomas Schmid, Kyle Strope Storyboards: Thomas Schmid Design: Olivia Blanc, Justin Fines, Jon Gorman, Fede Reano,Thomas Schimd, Yeojin Shin, Kyle Strope Animation: Olivia Blanc, Tim Beckhart, Chad Colby, Jaedoo Lee, Fede Reano,Thomas Schmid, Kyle Strope, Carly Senora, Meng-Chwen Joy Tien, William Trebutien Editor: Jose Fuentes Prep & Delivery: Chad Colby

Brand Marketing

Kids Tell Sweet Stories About Where Puppies Come From, Only to Break Your Heart

Humane Society continues fight against puppy mills

Katie Richards

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Katie Richards