EDS: Cat Herders
EDS needed to communicate its unique ability to manage the complexities of the digital economy to enterprise clients. The client sought to differentiate itself from competitors by making its abstract services tangible and memorable, demonstrating its expertise in bringing order to seemingly unmanageable digital chaos.
Creative Idea
Cat herding became an epic, absurd metaphor for managing digital complexity.
The campaign brilliantly uses the absurd, universally understood challenge of "herding cats" as an extended metaphor to dramatize EDS's expertise in managing the complexities of the digital economy. It transforms a common idiom into a relatable, epic narrative, making an abstract service tangible and memorable for businesses facing digital chaos.
Taming Ten Thousand Half Wild Short Hairs
The Dot Com Metaphor Trilogy
Launched during Super Bowl XXXIV in January 2000, this spot served as the first installment of a "metaphor trilogy" by Fallon McElligott that later included "Airplane" and "Running with the Squirrels." At the height of the dot - com bubble, EDS invested $8 million in production and airtime to humanize IT services. The gamble paid off: the brand saw a 40% increase in awareness and 10 million web hits in a single week - five times its normal traffic. By the end of the year, the company reported record earnings of $5.2 billion.
Tuna Lures and Motion Control
Director John O’Hagan and the Hungry Man crew faced "miserable" conditions at Tejon Ranch, filming through 40 - mph winds, snow, and fog. While the ad depicts a massive herd, only 60 real cats were on set. To ensure safety, horses and cats were never filmed together; instead, they were captured separately using motion control and blue - screen technology before being composited by Sight Effects. Trainers used buzzers and tuna to guide the cats, even teaching them to swim for the river - crossing sequence.
Authentic Cowboys and Lint Rollers
To maintain a "grizzled" Western aesthetic, the production bypassed traditional actors to recruit authentic cowboys from Arizona and New Mexico. Many of the most memorable moments were unscripted, including the rugged cowboy using a lint roller on his vest - a detail improvised on set. The production cost nearly $2 million, double the industry average at the time, but generated $12 million in incremental PR. Even President Bill Clinton later cited it as his favorite commercial during a White House Correspondents' Dinner.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
EDS possessed the capability to manage intricate, disparate digital elements and bring them into cohesive order for clients.
Category
The technology consulting category often relied on abstract jargon and corporate platitudes, failing to convey true problem-solving prowess.
Customer
Businesses felt overwhelmed by the chaotic, unmanageable nature of their digital infrastructure and sought reliable, expert partners.
Culture
The cultural idiom "herding cats" was universally understood as a metaphor for an impossible, frustrating, yet relatable task.
Company
EDS possessed the capability to manage intricate, disparate digital elements and bring them into cohesive order for clients.
Category
The technology consulting category often relied on abstract jargon and corporate platitudes, failing to convey true problem-solving prowess.
Strategy:
Illustrate complex problem-solving through a universally understood, absurd metaphor to convey unique expertise.
Customer
Businesses felt overwhelmed by the chaotic, unmanageable nature of their digital infrastructure and sought reliable, expert partners.
Culture
The cultural idiom "herding cats" was universally understood as a metaphor for an impossible, frustrating, yet relatable task.
Strategy:
Illustrate complex problem-solving through a universally understood, absurd metaphor to convey unique expertise.
Strategy Technique
Create a Parallel World
By creating a parallel world where cat herding is a tough, real job, the campaign effectively dramatizes the difficulty of managing digital complexities. This immersive narrative makes EDS's solution feel epic and uniquely capable.
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Creative Technique
Analogy for the Solution
The campaign uses "herding cats" as a vivid analogy for EDS's ability to manage complex digital challenges. This makes an abstract service tangible and relatable, highlighting their unique expertise in bringing order to chaos.
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Craft Breakdown
This campaign's exceptional craft lies in its brilliant use of visual storytelling and film direction to create an absurd yet deeply resonant metaphor, masterfully integrating a complex brand message into a universally understood idiom. The blend of epic cinematography with comedic timing makes it memorable and impactful.
The visual grandeur of the desert landscapes, the authentic Western aesthetic, and the dynamic shots of both cowboys and cats are meticulously composed, giving the absurd premise an epic and believable feel.
The director masterfully balances epic Western tropes with comedic elements, maintaining a consistent tone and effectively guiding the performances and visual storytelling to serve the core metaphor.
The seamless integration of numerous cats into large-scale scenes and complex interactions with actors and horses is very well-executed, making the 'herding cats' concept visually convincing despite its inherent absurdity.
The voiceover and dialogue are expertly crafted to sound authentic to the cowboy persona, while subtly building anticipation for the eventual reveal of the brand's metaphor, making the transition feel earned and clever.
The campaign's magic truly comes from the seamless synergy between the epic cinematography, the expert film direction that balances humor and gravity, and the well-integrated visual effects that bring the impossible task to life, all supporting a clever and memorable piece of copywriting.
