Dogs chew shoes. That makes funny videos for social media but when dogs chew flip-flops (in Australia, thongs) they eat rubber. That’s bad for the sandal and for the dog. The most common emergency gastrointestinal procedure performed in veterinary hospitals is the removal of foreign objects from the intestines of dogs, and around a third of those need surgery because they ingested rubber from flip-flops.
Mirum Brazil (part of Wunderman Thompson) has come up with a solution that solves the problem for both humans and dogs – inedible flip-flops. The campaign was created for for Arezzo brand, Brizza, in partnership with Pedigree.
The Inedible Flip-Flop contains denatonium benzoate, the most powerful bittering agent on the planet, in its base composition. Just a single dose of this chemical could make an entire Olympic-sized swimming pool taste bitter, while still remaining safe for dogs to have an exploratory first lick. The product is a safe, effective, and widely used compound in the pet industry that is often used as a discouraging agent to deter dogs from biting and licking things they shouldn’t, as well as training them not to go near these items in future.
Maria Toledo, Brizza brand director, explained, “When we were looking at ideas to create this dog-friendly flip-flop, we wanted to find something which would create a repulsive taste for them. Something inedible. That’s where the support and expertise of Pedigree came in. And it was by including this extremely bitter (yet very safe) compound at the beginning of our production that we delivered the perfect results.”
Filipe Matiazi, creative director at Mirum Brazil, added, “The idea of this project goes beyond a product. We want to spread this cause throughout the market and soon share this production standard with all brands in the sector. This problem exists and needs to be promoted and recognised. With creativity, responsibility, and action, we can change this.”
The Inedible Flip-Flop proposal aims not only to reduce accidents with dogs but to establish a new standard for footwear production. The project made its debut on the brand’s social media in April and will hit stores soon.
Credits:
Global Chief Creative Officers: Bas Korsten & Daniel Bonner
Chief Creative Officers, LATAM: Sebastian Tarazaga & Daniel Minaker
Agency: Mirum Brazil, a Wunderman Thompson company
CEO: Robson Ortiz
Creative Director: Filipe Matiazi
Associate Creative Director: Victor Keiti
Operations Manager: Amanda de Oliveira
Head of Art: Fabrizio Comparin
Head of Copywriting: Thiago Gabardo
Copywriters: Thiago Gabardo, Gisah Ramos, Allison Noronha
Art Directors: Rafael Rudnicki, Fabrizio Comparin, Daniel Mota, Danilo Nagami, Amanda Vecchio
Motion Design Supervisor: Bruno Reynaldo
Motion Designer: Igor Feitoza
Account Directors: Patricia Rogoski, Andressa Sucodolski
Account Executives: Thalita Cristina, Maryane Colombo
Strategy Director: Daniel Kiesel
Strategist: Heloísa Guernieri
Content Team: Vanessa Vieira, Fabiola Cebrian, Daniela Maccio, Rafaela Oliveira
Chief technology Officers: Felipe Gomide Design Team: Nathalia Pereira, Aline Santos, Fabrizio Comparin, Rafael Rudnicki
Tech Team: Alex Villanova, Leandro Mohr Production Manager: Paulo Setti
Illustrator: Victor Beuren
Production Company: The Youth
Director: Bibo Leal
DOP: Yuri Maranhão
Executive Producers: Carol Cherobim, Yuri Maranhão, Eduardo Lubiazi, João Machado
Editors: André Albuquerque, Maria Luísa Machado
Assist Editor: Daniele Oliveira
1st Assistant Director: Bruna Pena
1st Camera Assistant: Johann Stollmeier
Making of: Diego Cagnato
Still photography: Bibo Leal, Yuri Maranhão
Director: Maria Toledo
Production Director: Adriana Lira
Post Production & VFX: Colossal
Photo Lab: Lab e Lab
3D Company: Fuze
Product Pack Production Company: Bridge Filmes
Music and Sound Company: CANJA
Client: AREZZO (Brizza)
Brand Director: Maria Toledo
Head of Marketing Brizza: Peter Timko
Product Head: Vanessa Bastos
Industrial Manager: Luiz Fernando Rick
E-commerce Manager: Danielle Tretto
Digital Marketing Head: Fernanda Brant
Head of Design: Marcelo Fonseca
Client: Mars (Pedigree)
Demand Director: Eduardo Lima
Head of Marketing: Roberto Valdrighi
Marketing and Innovation Manager: Heloísa Zagati
Marketing Analyst: Roberto Silva
