While sharing about ‘taking care of business,’ our NYC kitty gets a bit sentimental in a cat litter commercial that also tout’s the company’s mission to help animal shelters across the country.
VFX studio, The Embassy, was recently tasked with creating Bobby, a gruff but sensitive cat from the Bronx who stars in the latest humorous cat litter ad campaign from Cat’s Pride; the spot also celebrates the company's mission to support cat shelters across the country. To tell the story of this seemingly stoic feline, independent creative agency Cramer-Krasselt called upon the Oscar-nominated VFX studio to create an entire CG world - from the milk bottles on the porch to Bobby himself.
Helmed by The Embassy’s creative director David Casey, the spot sees Bobby reveal his tender side to the audience, explaining that with every purchase of Cat’s Pride, a pound of litter also gets donated to a shelter - every time he goes to the bathroom, he’s helping out another cat. Realizing he’s getting emotional about the good deed, Bobby quickly deflects, asking, “Who’s cuttin onions over there?’
After setting up shop in LA earlier this year with new EP and MD Kenny Solomon, the company’s U.S. base offered local support to the agency and client alongside their expertise in VFX. With coronavirus restrictions still in force, The Embassy proposed making the adverts fully CG, allowing for full art direction over every aspect of the spot. The team was able to control everything, from the specific background scenery to the exact breed of cat - while establishing the perfect mannerisms to complement Bobby’s personality.
After sourcing a voice artist and recording all of Bobby’s lines, The Embassy worked closely with Mathew Griffiths, editor at Cycle Media, to provide previs for the client, establishing an early look that allowed them to nail down the performance and timings. Focusing particularly on the fur and eyes, The Embassy breathed life and personality into the secretly sensitive cat.
David Casey, Creative Director at The Embassy, commented, “Despite the challenges posed by coronavirus, we were able to pivot the brief and ultimately create an entire CG advert from scratch, meaning we could source the perfect ambassador for Cat’s Pride. Over 90% of our projects pre-COVID involved collaborating remotely with creative teams across the globe, so the transition during the current situation was seamless and hassle free for all involved.”
The Embassy will soon be following up Bobby’s spot with a look into the life of Charlene, a Russian Blue.
Source: The Embassy
