Guide Dogs has launched an animated campaign spanning a full TV ad break to celebrate the sight loss charity’s 90th birthday.
Created by Studio Kimchi, “Flash” follows a labrador pup (called Flash) as she meets her new puppy raiser Annie for the first time, before undertaking basic obedience training.
After an adorable training montage, Flash is dropped off at the Guide Dogs to embark (pun intended) on her formal training.
It ends as Annie walks along the high street with a new puppy, passing Flash and her new owner along the way.
The three-minute ad airs today (28 April) during ITV’s Lorraine and Loose Women.
It was directed by Bruno Simoes through Studio Kimchi, while media is handled by MediaLab.
“This is the first time we have taken over an entire ad break, which is a bold and exciting step for Guide Dogs,” Emma Foulds, director of marketing and strategy at Guide Dogs, said.
“While the charity sector has been affected by these uncertain times, taking the decision to invest in our brand and its future felt the right thing to do to raise awareness of our life-changing services and the vital donations and volunteers we need to keep them running.”
The campaign is named after one of the first guide dog puppies raised in the UK in 1931.
Flash is also the name of a pooch currently working through her puppy training with a family in Hertfordshire.
Foulds continued: “We celebrate our 90th anniversary in October, and we thought there was no better way to pay tribute to the backbone of our charity, our fabulous volunteers, helping people with sight loss live the life they choose.
“We hope the film really brings to life the dedication and love that our volunteers give day in day out, and inspires people to get involved and sponsor a puppy like Flash.”
The charity has also enlisted Gavin and Stacey actress Joanna Page to voice Flash in an audio version of the story, which was created for people with sight loss.
Page said: “I was thrilled to be the voice of Flash in the audio story, which means everyone can enjoy this wonderful tale.”
In 2019, Guide Dogs launched a "people-first" brand campaign, “”, in a bid to increase the number of people with sight loss that it supports from 200,000 to 500,000 by 2023.