A series of striking black-and-white pieces appeared at some of São Paulo’s busiest locations, including Sé and Luz stations, as well as bus shelters on Avenida Faria Lima and Avenida Paulista, in addition to online content, all without the brand’s name attached. The work announced the launch of a mysterious artificial intelligence service promising to help people find their new best friend. Public curiosity was piqued.
In social media, influencer Felca, one of Brazil’s most impactful creators, known for his commitment to social causes and for openly discussing mental health, went viral by questioning whether AI can be used for friendship, expanding the conversation and paving the way for the reveal.
Then the campaign revealed Pedigree, showing that artificial intelligence is no substitute for a real friend, but that, through the platform melhoramigo.ai, people can find a dog available for adoption who may become their best friend.
The campaign, developed by AlmapBBDO, was inspired by the creative insight of advertising an AI service offering company and friendship. That way, it could spark conversations and capture the public’s attention, all while underscoring the value of the genuine connection you can establish with a dog.
“The bond between people and dogs brings all sorts of benefits, from the joy of being greeted at the front door to the judgment-free companionship and unconditional affection they provide,” stated Ricardo Marinho, marketing manager for Pedigree at Mars Pet Nutrition Brasil. “In a world that puts a premium on well-being and authentic relationships, we used AI to lend even more visibility to a cause we’ve been supporting for 17 years with the program Pedigree Adotar é Tudo de Bom, which has already helped over 88,000 animals find a home.”
Studies from the Waltham Petcare Science Institute, a Mars Petcare research hub with a 60-year track record and over 600 published scientific papers, show that 86% of people say that pets positively impact their mental health, 69% say pets help reduce stress and anxiety, and 63% consider them to be true friends,¹ in yet another reinforcement of just how beneficial it is to share your life with an animal.
The platform,melhoramigo.ia, uses a welcoming conversational experience to help people find dogs available for adoption at nearby NGOs. Not only does it help users search for animals, the tool provides a “compatibility test” between the would-be adopter and available dogs, based on questions that gauge the user’s personality to find the dog that best fits their lifestyle.
“Our jumping-off point was a simple question – since AI can simulate so many relationships, why not use it to foster genuine friendship?” stated Fernanda Portugal, director of client services at AlmapBBDO. “Tech became a creative means of reinforcing something PEDIGREE® has been saying for years: that nothing can substitute the real love between a human and a dog.”
“When you get down to it, our campaign critiques A.I. friendships, but we’re also launching an A.I. that’s designed to do just that. So the film deliberately uses the language of the big techs to draw a contrast between artificial intelligence and real life,” added Fernando Duarte and Henrique Del Lama, VPs of creative at AlmapBBDO.
The initiative reinforces Pedigree’s longtime commitment to the cause, and represents a next step in the legacy of the award-winning, Caramelo, campaign. The platform has already registered over 200 dogs, thanks to a partnership with Instituto AMPARA Animal.
Credits:
Client: Mars (Pedigree)
Client Team: Natalia Ball, Chris Rodi, Ignacio Inda, Arren Beach, Ricardo Marinho, Clara Barin, Marina Moresco, Nathália de Angelis
Agency: AlmapBBDO
President & CEO: Filipe Bartholomeu
Chief Creative Officer (CCO): Pernil
Creative Vice Presidents: Fernando Duarte & Henrique Del Lama
Creative Team: Daniel Trimer, Gus Souza & Guto Merino
Audiovisual Production: Diego Villas Boas, Victor Alloza & Camila Graf
Chief Operating Officer (COO): Rafaela Alves
Account Management: Camilla Massari, Fernanda Portugal, Julia Marques & Cynthia Bertoli
Chief Strategy Officer (CSO): João Gabriel Fernandes
Strategy Team: David Gross, Isabella Ayub & Najara Bartolo
Special Projects: Julia Newman & Marilia Alves
Digital Production: Lilian Cavallini, Juliana Sousa, and Benext.ai
Art Buyers: Tereza Setti & Flávia Padrão
PR: AlmapBBDO & Giusti
PR Agency: Weber Shandwick
Content & Media Agency: DPZ
Influencer Agency: BR Media
Production Company: Black Madre
Campaign Partner: AMPARA
Production Company: THE YOUTH
Executive Directors: Carol Cherobim, Eduardo Lubiazi, João Machado & Yuri Maranhão
Executive Producers: Carol Cherobim and Chico Pedreir
Directors: Vinicius Kluge & Janaína da Veiga
Assistant Director: Milton Gonçalves de Oliveira Filho
Director of Photography: Johann Stollmeier
Post-Production: COLOSSAL
Audio Production: Raw Audio
