DDB campaign aims to raise funds for Pet Refuge NZ

AUCKLAND, Tuesday: After two years of fundraising, planning and building, NZ’s first shelter dedicated to pets affected by family violence has opened its doors this week. Now, Pet Refuge New Zealand is asking Kiwis to help keep them open through a new campaign with DDB Aotearoa.

The new campaign – which finds a powerful focus in the sad, cringeing eyes of the animals affected – launched yesterday with a 90”, 30” and 15” film, and is integrated with print, digital, social and OOH, running across NZME, TVNZ, Discovery, oOh!, Lumo, QMS, JC Decaux, and Go Media.

The film tells the story of a woman who has finally worked up the courage to leave her abusive partner, taking her dog and cat with her.

In 2019, the agency launched its first integrated campaign with Pet Refuge after research showed half of domestic abuse survivors delayed leaving their abuser out of fear for an animal pet’s safety.

“The entire agency and all of our production partners, particularly the team at Finch and Liquid, have given this initiative their support. I’m proud of the world-class thinking, talent and creativity that has gone into making Pet Refuge a success.”

That campaign helped the new charity raise enough money – more than $ 300,000 – to build a shelter that would serve as a safe place for pets while their owners escaped.

DDB ECD Gary Steele said: “With the shelter finally up and running, this latest campaign aims to raise awareness of the challenges faced by domestic abuse victims, particularly those with pets. For many of these victims, leaving their pet with their abuser simply isn’t an option and they often have nowhere to go.

“The creative team leading this have again created a powerful campaign that addresses a highly complex and sensitive issue with care and passion.

“The entire agency and all of our production partners, particularly the team at Finch and Liquid, have given this initiative their full support the whole way through. I’m proud of all the world-class thinking, talent and creativity that has gone into making it a success.

Pet Refuge founder Julie Chapman said: “We are pleased to again partner with DDB Aotearoa, particularly following the overwhelming success of the initial campaign two years ago.

“Pet Refuge is encouraging Kiwis to donate $ 25 a month to its Safe Beds for Pets programme and support its mission to provide temporary accommodation for pets affected by domestic violence, so their owners can escape abuse.”

CREDITS

Client: Pet Refuge NZ
Founder and Trustee: Julie Chapman
GM Fundraising & Marketing: Sophie Mowday
Marketing Coordinator: Annie Kane
Media Specialist: Sarah Stewart

Agency: DDB Aotearoa
Executive Creative Director: Gary Steele
Creative Director: Christie Cooper
Creative Director: James Connor
Junior Copywriter: Maisie  D’Cruz
Junior Art Director: Lily Macintosh
Managing Partner: Nikki McKelvie
Business Partner: Crystal Clark
Senior Business Manager: Ella Bilham
Strategist: Tom Sykes
TV Producer: Tabitha Parke-Gailey
Agency Producer: Kat Egarr
PR: Mango Aotearoa

Production Company: Finch
Managing Director: Corey Esse
Executive Producer: Rebekah ‘Bex’ Kelly
Director: Zia Mandviwalla
Producer: Sarah Cook
DOP: Maria Ines Manchego
Production Design: Liz Thompson-Nevitt

Post Production: Atticus
Offline Editor: Nick Carew
Colourist: Pete Ritchie
Online Editor: Stuart Bedford

Media: OMD
Head of Planning: Chrissy Payne
Account Manager: Francesca Hermans
Account Executive: Juliet Ede

Music & Sound Design: Liquid Studios
Composer: Pete Van Der Fluit
Sound Engineer: Craig Matuschka
Voices: Mint Voices
Casting: Catch Casting Ltd

Photographer: Malcolm Campbell

Special mentions: Animal Ark, Mt Atkinson Coffee Roasters, Panavision NZ, The Rebel Fleet, Transformer Film TV Services, Locations Central, Screen Auckland.
Donate: www.petrefuge.org.nz

About DDB Aotearoa
At DDB Aotearoa our business is to grow yours. We know that growth doesn’t come from following the pack; it’s driven by unexpected work that demands attention, action and change. We create truly Unexpected Works using the most powerful force in business: creativity. And it works. DDB Aotearoa has been placed in the top 5 most effective agencies in the world by both WARC and Effies, as well as AXIS, Campaign Brief and Campaign Asia-Pacific Creative Agency of the Year, and Campaign Asia-Pacific Digital & Social Media Agency of the Year. DDB is part of the DDB Group, also comprising TRACK (customer, data, CRM), Mango (PR, experiential, social influencer), Tribal (digital) and Interbrand (strategy, design).

• www.ddb.co.nz