A dog brings it back - Pedigree | Clapboard Ad Archive

Pedigree’s 2019 Brazil campaign A dog brings it back, created by BBDO, delivers a resonant message about the healing potential of dog adoption in a market grappling with widespread emotional distress, including a 5.8% depression rate as reported by the World Health Organization. This integrated campaign employs a poignant and symbolic narrative centered on the universal act of playing fetch, transforming it into a metaphor for restoring intangible human needs such as love, happiness, life, and hope—qualities physically represented by fetch toys emblazoned with these words. These toys were distributed to influencers and individuals recovering from personal hardships, who experienced the metaphor firsthand as their dogs returned these symbolic virtues, embodying the restorative power of pets beyond mere companionship. The campaign’s core asset, an animated short film, uses poetic storytelling to evoke empathy and optimism, steering clear of direct depictions of depression or product-centric demonstrations and instead focusing on emotional benefit through visual symbolism. What Clapboard’s taxonomy classifies as FORMAT#9—Symbolize the Benefit—underpins this approach, leveraging exaggerated visuals and metaphor to communicate the profound impact dog adoption can have on mental well-being. The campaign’s cultural relevance is amplified by its social responsibility angle and its use of the hashtag #AdotarÉTudoDeBom, which reinforces adoption as a source of life-affirming goodness. Pedigree and BBDO’s work in the Pets industry here integrates emotional storytelling with tangible, playful interaction, crafting a narrative that aligns the brand with both advocacy and affection in the Food & Drink category. The campaign earns 76/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. This campaign matters to the industry because it demonstrates how brands in traditionally product-focused categories can lead cultural conversations by humanizing their messaging and embracing symbolism to connect with consumers on deeper emotional levels.