Grey Africa and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) created a social media storm by promoting a fake dogfight on a mobile trailer which was seen parked and driving along various popular traffic spots.
The campaign was planned to roll out over three days before the reveal would take place. It kicked off with a mobile billboard advertising a dogfight between “Thor” and “Nitro,” with the ominous promise “There can only be one winner.” The public reaction was immediate and voluble. People were outraged. The website and the phone line advertised on the billboard were both inundated with complaints and disgust – expressed in no uncertain terms. The outcry was carefully monitored, and at its peak the mobile billboard went out again, this time telling everyone that the dogfight was fake – but that real dogfights just like it happen all the time, in the most outwardly respectable neighbourhoods.
Simultaneously, the NSCPA put out a press release announcing that they were behind the stunt and appealing to people to turn their outrage into action and to join the fight against dogfighting. With zero media spend, our website received tens of thousands of visits, from people in as many as 110 countries. The heightened media coverage put the topic of dogfighting in the spotlight allowing the NSPCA to dramatically raise awareness of dogfighting and very importantly to educate the public on the signs of dogfighting activity in their neighbourhoods. This led to an influx of tip-offs from members of the public who wanted to report suspicious activity in their neighbourhoods, resulting in hundreds of dogs being rescued and dozens of arrests.
To date, the NSPCA “Dogfight” campaign has been awarded by APEX, Loeries, Assegais and Creative Circle Ad of the Year.
We would like to thank our client, NSPCA, for their bravery as well as our media partners PMG and Mediology, the ACA, jury and sponsors of the 2018 Apex awards.
View: NSPCA Dog Fight Campaign Case Film