For many cats, 4 a.m. is feed and fun time. While many cat parents are happy to cope with that 4 a.m. feline wake-up call, the Sheba and AMV BBDO are making it easier for them to get back to sleep. AMV BBDO has produced the custom content designed to do that, a sleep-inducing film that uses a combination of the best sleep techniques – including 20 minutes of body scans, ASMR voices, calm visual effects, meditation and soothing colours – to help cat parents return to dreamland. 

“While we all know sleep is precious, most cat parents would say that they put the needs of their cats before their own,” explained Craig Neely, vice president of marketing at Mars Petcare. “The Sheba Brand understands how we love to give in to our cats and created this sleep-inducing content in partnership with sleep scientists as a solution to fall back into a peaceful night’s sleep after meeting our cats’ early morning demands.”

The content was developed in collaboration with behavioural sleep therapist, Donna Fairly, and Renata Riha, a sleep physician from the University of Edinburgh. The new “ad” aims meant to help parents in the early morning hours, when they may be reaching for their phones most. It’s far more useful at inducing sleep than Instagram posts or scrolling through YouTube.

“The film includes several sleep strategies that are helpful for inducing sleep,” noted Fairly. “The tranquil colours and peaceful music, coupled with the tone of the voices throughout makes this content very relaxing, and should be effective for anyone with sleep challenges.”

The content can be viewed on the Sheba’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages. The brand has also curated a 4 a.m. Lullaby Spotify Album to help feline families drift back to sleep.

Neil Clarke, creative director at AMV BBDO, commented, “Using science and data to create an advertising campaign that sends you to sleep is probably the last thing most clients want. But that’s what is great about Sheba and this project. It goes against everything a traditional marketing campaign would normally be. Buying media at 4 a.m. so only those who are awake will see it; targeting sleep-deprived cat owners on social media; creating a Spotify podcast to help you drift off – it’s a playful approach and the more people we can send to sleep, the better.”

Credits:

Client: Mars (Sheba)
Client Team: Elizabeth Barret, Matt Darcy & Liz Franks

Creative Agency: AMV BBDO
CCO: Alex Grieve
ECDs: Nadja Lossgott & Nicholas Hulley
Creative Directors: Jay Phillips & Neil Clarke
Creative Team: Cesar Herszkowicz, Marcos Almirante & Zak Loney
Account Team: Matt Henry, Ella Fanshawe & Alice Kassapian
Strategy Team: Emily Brydon, Phoebe Fielding & Brian Williamson
Agency Producer: Darapen Vongsa-Nga

Production Company: Friends Electric
Director: Ewan Jones Morris
Producer: Giles Edward-N
EP: Barney Richard 

Concept Design & Storyboards: Ricardo Bessa
Animatic: Sandra Clua
Animators: Bradley Franklin, Rosalvo Melo, Alixe Labato, Tom Crate & Theo Tagholm.
CG Lead: Dean Robinson
CG Artists: Joe Trimby, Jordan Dunstall, Ed Sherwood, Nikolai Maderthoner, Tom Di Stasio, Julie Cruette & Luis Cancio Villalonga
DMP: Dave Gibbons 
Director of Photography: Jed Darlington-Roberts
Sound Recordist: Adam Davies
Editor: Holly WinshipFeatured Artist: Neil Raitt 

Colour: Luke Morrison @ ETC Colour
Audio Post Production: Sam & Jake Ashwell @ 750mph
Music & Sound Design: Studiokamp
PR Agency: Weber-Shandwick
Media Agency: MediaCom 
Digital Agency: Barefoot Proximity
Researchers: Donna Fairly (Behavioral Sleep Therapist) & Renata Riha (Sleep Physician at the University of Edinburgh)