Whiskas Purr More
Mars Petcare
Issue 61 | January 2022
Agency
AMV BBDO
Creative Team
Chief Creative Officer Alex Grieve Executive Creative Directors Nadja Lossgott, Nicholas Hulley Creative Directors Neil Clarke, Jay Phillips Creative Team Jack Smedley, George Hackforth-Jones
Production Team
Agency Producers Sophie Honour, Joe Sloane Production Company Blink Ink Director Nina Gantz
Other Credits
Agency Account Team Alice Kasappian, Poppy Wilson, Ella Fanshawe, Matthew Henry, Ethan Meade, Maddie Burnell Agency Planning Team Lola Neves, Brian Williamson, Emily Brydon and Phoebe Fielding Media Agency Mediacom Client Global Brand Director at Mars Lyubov Chumikova Global Brand Manager at Mars Nailya Alieva
Date
August 2021
Background
WHISKAS® believe that a happy cat makes a happy human. The objective was to get more cats purring than ever before.
Idea
‘Purr More’ is a global brand campaign featuring a suite of films from Bafta-winning animator and director Nina Gantz with original music created especially for cats by cellist and composer David Teie.
Each film explored a cat’s imagination to show what stimulates cats to purr, such as the joys of cardboard boxes, wool and laundry.
Teie’s music, scientifically proven by the Journal of Feline Medicine to reduce cat’s stress levels, was tested with cats around the globe and the majority reacted more positively to it than to classical music or nothing at all.
As well as the track ‘Purr More’, a free playlist designed to de-stress cats was made available on Spotify and YouTube and shared with cat shelters and veterinary clinics where cats might most need comfort.
‘Purr More’ is to be printed as a limitededition vinyl and shared with influencers who, it is hoped, will upload TikToks of their cats’ response to the music.
Part of the campaign comprises a fun competition via a digital app, in which cat capture their pets’ purrs. The bigger the purr, the better the prize.
Results
Cat music has been proved to have a calming effect. The veterinary community has started playing the Whiskas track to help cats relax. The more relaxed they are, the more receptive they are to treatment.
If cats in rescue centres can be made to feel more comfortable, their chances of adoption increase.
Our Thoughts
Though the films are beautifully shot and charming, it’s the music that sets this campaign apart. Mars did something similar for dogs a few years back with Pedigree’s K9FM radio channel but this takes music for animals a step further with David Teie’s seven pieces written specifically for cats. It may sound a silly idea to some but if you’ve ever had to live with a neurotic cat, you’ll be all ears. (The tracks are on his Youtube channel and are pleasantly soothing for humans too.) As and when influencers get involved, as I’m certain they will, this campaign will really take off.