If you’re looking to adopt a dog, look no further than your nearest billboard where Peanut, Jacob, Mocha and other dogs are looking for their forever homes.
The Humane Canada (HC) – the national federation of SPCAs and humane societies – along with the Toronto Humane Society (THS) launched the “Man’s True Best Friend” campaign as a play on Sabrina Carpenter’s seventh studio album, Man’s Best Friend, and timed it to coincide with the American singer’s album drop today (Friday).
The organizations teamed up with agency partners Panoply Media and Sid Lee for the OOH campaign that will feature adoptable dogs with a QR code to scan to learn more about each dog’s story. A website also directs people to THS’s adoption page.
Partner Shoot Studio’s visuals were designed to be a more playful recreation of the album cover, which caused a stir because of its depiction of Carpenter on her hands and knees being pulled by the hair by an unseen male figure.
(Images: left, sabrinacarpenter.com; right, Humane Canada/Toronto Humane Society/Sid Lee)
Carpenter is not affiliated with the campaign. Instead, HC says it’s intercepting this “culturally relevant moment” to introduce its own message about the bond between people and animals, while spotlighting the importance of adoption.
With HC and THS being non-profits, the campaign was a tactical buy to meet the moment, Alexis Caron-Côté, ACD at Sid Lee, tells Media in Canada.
“It was more of a gut feeling,” he says. “When we saw this album cover we were like… let’s reclaim the title of ‘Man’s true best friend.’ That was the main goal.”
Panoply’s ability to stretch a limited budget was key, Caron-Côté says.
OOH is concentrated in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, with both static and digital placements on roadside, transit shelters, taxi tops and a large-format Sankofa Square (formerly Yonge-Dundas square) placement. The campaign is expected to be in the market for about a month.
The campaign is also supported with half-page print placements in the Montreal Gazette, National Post and Vancouver Sun. A Spotify ad tied to Carpenter’s album release was targeted to her fans in Canada.
“This is a powerful opportunity to connect with Canadians, celebrate the human-animal bond, and inspire adoption – especially now, as animal shelters across the country are full and urgently need support,” Tara Hellewell, HC’s director of national engagement, said in a news release.
