People out and about for the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade were surprised to see a larger-than-life dog stuck between two buildings en route to the parade. It was certainly eye-catching and absolutely deliberate. The dog was a two-story-tall balloon representing the many dogs across the country who are carrying extra weight.

The aim of the stunt, created by adam&eveDDB for pet brand, IAMS, was to highlight the problem of dog obesity. Over 59% of American dogs are overweight or obese and most dog parent don’t realise it. It’s one of the most pressing issues in pet health. The dog balloon, that was modelled on a real dog called Waylon, prompted passers-by to scan on-site QR codes driving them to the IAMS Healthy Weight Dog Hub, where they could learn more about Waylon’s journey toward living a more active, healthier lifestyle and reaching a healthier weight with a combination of regular exercise, veterinary care and IAMS nutrition and tools.
The dog balloon was installed under the guidance of experiential director, Australia’s Glue Society.
Waylon was about 8lbs overweight at a recent checkup, according to his veterinarian. Following his vet’s recommendation, Waylon embarked on an overall wellness journey with nutritional support from the IAMS brand, and with two goals in mind – to reach a healthier weight and to participate in a local turkey trot event.
“When the IAMS brand asked for a bold idea to drive awareness around the issue of overweight dogs, we knew we had to go big, or even oversized,” stated Richard Brim, chief creative officer, adam&eveDDB. “We were inspired to bring this issue to life in a visually stunning and emotional way, leading us to the perfect real-life dog, Waylon. We were proud to translate his journey into an unforgettable sight with the balloon. The balloon spectacle coupled with a deeper dive into Waylon’s uplifting story felt like the perfect combination to get the attention of pet parents across the country.”
“Many dog parents don’t even know their pets are overweight and it’s our mission at IAMS to help those dogs, like Waylon, live healthier lives,” added Jean-Paul Jansen, chief marketing officer, Mars Pet Nutrition North America. “Showcasing Waylon’s journey on this large stage is important to us because it’s one many pet parents can relate to. We’re committed to helping them move forward in their own wellness journeys by providing nutritional support and practical tools to better understand and help improve their pets’ health and wellbeing.”

Credits:
Client: Mars Inc. [IAMS]
Chief Marketing Officer Mars Pet Nutrition North America: Jean-Paul Jansen
Global Brand VP, IAMS: Edwin Padilla
VP, IAMS North America: Fawad Farrukh
Associate Brand Director, IAMS North America: Matt Darcy
Marketing Manager, IAMS Global: Olivia Chlasta
Digital Ecosystem Manager, IAMS North America: Rachel Dawson
Brand Manager, IAMS Global: Paul Kendall
Senior Director, External Affairs, Mars Pet Nutrition North America: Lindsay Kordik
Brand Communications Manager, Mars Pet Nutrition North America: Wes Bottoms
Digital Ecosystem Coordinator: Bella Byrd
CRM Coordinator: Andrea Migliore
Digital Merchandising & Operations Specialist: Coleen Ducey
DVM, Mars Petcare: Heidi Parrish
Creative Agency: adam&eveDDB
CCO: Richard Brim
Executive Creative Directors: Ant Nelson & Mike Sutherland
Creative Directors: Paul Knott & Molly Wilkof
Creatives: Ben Robinson & Mike Whiteside
Social Director: Phoebe Wright
Social Creative: Judith Talkens
Joint Head of Intergrated Production: Sally Pritchett
Head of Print Production and Experiential: Jaki Jo Hannan
Producer: Joel Wilson
Social Producer: Brooke Lagana
Assistant Producer: Amy Galvin
Waylon’s Journey Film Director: Jeff Andrew
DoP: Shai Ben-Dor
1st AC: Wesley Diaz
Planning: Stuart Williams, Catherine Willoughby, Kit Owens & Zayem McTear
Chief Executive Officer: Miranda Hipwell
Account Management: Charlotte Cook, Stephanie Taylor, Sarah Hill, Lauren Dixon
Project Management: Rasha Noronha, Becky Faloju
Business Affairs: Emily Eshelby & Layla Husted
Design: King Henry
adam&eve Studios Executive Producer: Nazeen Read
Head of Print Buying: Phil Nunn
Digital Producer: Matthew Walker
Designer: Jim Kelly
PR: Ketchum
Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks x Revolver
Founding Partner: Shawn Lacy
Head of Production UK: Emily Atterton
Head of Production US: Sean Moody
Managing Director: Rupert Reynolds-MacLean
Executive Producer: Daisy Mellors
Experiential Director: Glue Society
Service Company: Biscuit Filmworks US
Producers: Michael Merryman & Chloe Stella
Production Supervisor: Diana Chammas
Stills Photographer: Peter Funch
Photography Assistant: Tim Blokel
Editing (offline & online) Company: Absolute Post, London (Waylon’s Journey, Health Tips) Editing (offline & online) Company: Cutters, Chicago (Launch Films/CBS Package)
Soundtrack: Minneapolis Bump by Southside Aces
Audio Post-Production: 750mph