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Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO has unveiled its latest work for the Royal

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in a 60-second, emotive

cinema commercial imploring people not to give pets as Christmas

presents.

The ad could prove to be the agency’s swan-song for the charity because

the account is currently under review. The RSPCA announced the review in

September (±±¾©Èü³µpk10, 8 September), and will make a decision later this

week. Five agencies are pitching, including Abbott Mead.

The film, which will run until Christmas in Odeon cinemas, features two

trusting puppies’ last journey, as a man takes them to a canal, puts

them in a sack and throws them in. The endline reads: ‘Don’t give pets

as presents this Christmas.’

The commercial is done through the eyes of one of the dogs, although

this does not become apparent to the viewer until the end of the film.

As the ad opens on a deserted street at dawn, a low-level camera moves

towards a canal with a man running alongside it. It then becomes evident

that he is taking the dog for a walk.

A voiceover excitedly relates the experience with phrases such as: ‘We

are going swimming, my brother and I. We are going swimming with our

best friend.’ The viewer then realises that what they can hear are the

dog’s thoughts.

After a while, the puppy discovers that all is not well and the film

takes a sinister twist. The camera shows one puppy being put in a sack

and another sack being placed over the camera. Ropes are then tied

around the sacks.

The commercial was created by the veterans of the RSPCA campaign, the

art director, Paul Brazier, and the copywriter, Peter Souter. Their

previous, award-winning work on the account includes press executions

featuring lines such as: ‘This whippet is a victim of the recession. It

used to be a labrador.’ The film was directed by Anthony Easton of Stark

Films.