Pedigree - Adoptable
Pedigree sought to dramatically increase global dog adoption rates and solidify its leadership in animal welfare. The client needed to re-evaluate its substantial advertising budget to make shelter dogs globally visible and appealing to potential pet parents, moving beyond traditional awareness campaigns to drive direct action.
Creative Idea
AI transformed shelter dogs into ad stars, driving real-time adoptions globally.
Pedigree transformed its global advertising into a dynamic adoption engine, using AI to instantly elevate shelter dogs into high-quality ad stars, making every media impression a direct opportunity to find a dog a home and turning purpose into performance.
Turning Every Product Ad Into A Shelter Dog Glow Up
The AI Pipeline for Amateur Photos
To solve the "photo problem" in shelters, Nexus Studios developed a proprietary AI pipeline that transforms low - quality, amateur mobile phone snapshots into studio - quality digital assets. The system uses a 3D digital rig for each dog to ensure spatial accuracy, while diffusion AI models enhance textures like fur and unique markings. This hybrid approach ensures the dog looks authentic rather than like a generic AI approximation. The ads are fully programmatic; when a dog is adopted, the system automatically pulls that dog from the rotation and replaces it with another from a nearby shelter in real - time.
Six Times More Shelter Traffic
The campaign achieved immediate impact during its initial test in New Zealand, where 50% of featured dogs were adopted within the first two weeks. Traffic to shelter site profiles increased by 600%, and potential pet parents were 12% more likely to adopt when arriving via an "Adoptable" asset compared to other sources. Pedigree repurposed 100% of its digital out - of - home budget for this initiative, effectively turning every commercial product ad into a CSR asset without losing market reach.
Tiny the Viral Star
A Chihuahua named Tiny became the unexpected face of the campaign after his foster owners photographed him posing next to a massive billboard featuring his AI - enhanced "glow up" portrait. The viral moment directly led to his adoption. This initiative marks a shift toward "post - purpose" marketing, where social impact is hardwired into business operations. Global Brand VP Fabio Alings noted that the technology ensures every media dollar spent now takes adoptable dogs to the world alongside the brand's products.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Pedigree possessed a global advertising footprint and a deep-seated brand commitment to dog welfare, backed by significant media spend.
Category
Pet food advertising often featured idealized, purebred dogs, while shelter dogs remained largely invisible or portrayed sadly.
Customer
Potential adopters felt overwhelmed by shelter photos, struggled to visualize dogs in a home, and wanted to make a tangible difference.
Culture
A growing societal demand for brands to demonstrate genuine social impact, coupled with advancements in accessible AI technology.
Company
Pedigree possessed a global advertising footprint and a deep-seated brand commitment to dog welfare, backed by significant media spend.
Category
Pet food advertising often featured idealized, purebred dogs, while shelter dogs remained largely invisible or portrayed sadly.
Strategy:
Pedigree leveraged its advertising power and AI to transform every ad into a direct, dynamic adoption platform.
Customer
Potential adopters felt overwhelmed by shelter photos, struggled to visualize dogs in a home, and wanted to make a tangible difference.
Culture
A growing societal demand for brands to demonstrate genuine social impact, coupled with advancements in accessible AI technology.
Strategy:
Pedigree leveraged its advertising power and AI to transform every ad into a direct, dynamic adoption platform.
Results
Pedigree's purpose-led media investment increased to 100%. The campaign resulted in 6x more shelter site visits and 50% of dogs being adopted in the first 2 weeks. By 2026, all Pedigree digital touchpoints will be Adoptable.
100%
purpose-led media investment
6x
more shelter site visits
50%
dogs adopted in first 2 weeks
Strategy Technique
Turn Brand Values Into Action
Pedigree moved beyond merely stating its commitment to ending dog homelessness by embedding it directly into its core advertising operations. The campaign demonstrated purpose through tangible, real-time adoption efforts.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Unexpected Utility
Pedigree transformed its advertising budget into a direct tool for dog adoption, making every ad a functional platform. This utility unexpectedly served both brand promotion and a critical social cause.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
The campaign's craft excels in its seamless integration of advanced AI and 3D modeling, creating a dynamic, purpose-driven advertising ecosystem that adapts in real-time.
The core AI model intelligently transforms low-resolution shelter photos into high-fidelity, studio-quality ad visuals, managing dynamic content updates.
Sophisticated 3D rendering and modeling capabilities allow for versatile digital integration and manipulation of each dog's image across diverse media.
The execution demonstrates exceptional digital craftsmanship in creating a fluid, responsive, and scalable platform for real-time ad content.
Strategic media placement and geo-targeting ensure the right adoptable dogs are presented to relevant audiences, maximizing adoption potential.
The true brilliance lies in how AI and 3D craft converge to create a constantly evolving, highly personalized media experience directly tied to a social mission.
