Pedigree: Child Replacement Programme
Pedigree, working with Colenso BBDO, wanted to increase dog adoption rates. The client needed to connect with empty-nesters experiencing loneliness after their children left home. The challenge was to position adoptable dogs as empathetic companions, humorously filling that emotional void. They sought a campaign that would resonate deeply with this specific demographic, driving engagement and ultimately increasing adoptions by offering a unique solution to their new life stage.
Creative Idea
Pedigree launched a "Child Replacement Program" matching empty-nesters with dogs to replace their departed children.
Pedigree created a "Child Replacement Program" that helps empty-nesters cope with their children leaving home by matching them with adoptable dogs that share similar characteristics to their children. The campaign humorously suggests that dogs can fill the emotional void left behind when children move out, offering a unique and empathetic approach to pet adoption.
When Your Kids Move to London Replace Them
824 Percent Lift in Enquiries
The campaign is a benchmark for creative effectiveness, driving an 824% lift in dog adoption enquiries and a 16% increase in total sales. In just six weeks, the program generated more online enquiries than the previous two years combined. The response was so overwhelming that shelters in some regions actually ran out of dogs, forcing the brand to source more animals to meet the demand. By the end of the run, Pedigree overtook its biggest competitor to become the #1 dry dog food brand in New Zealand.
The Child Matching Engine
At the heart of the production was replacethem.co.nz, a custom matching engine developed by Colenso BBDO. Parents entered their child’s name, hair length, and activity level to find a shelter dog with identical traits. To deepen the "replacement" theme, Pedigree offered a Stuff Conversion service, professionally repurposing children's old belongings into dog gear - turning bedspreads into dog beds and trophies into dog bowls.
Strategic Skype and Airport Placements
Media agency Starcom NZ placed digital banners on Skype to target parents while they were video calling their children abroad. They also utilized digital OOH at airport departure terminals, catching parents at the exact moment their children left the country. The campaign went viral organically as parents began tagging their own children in "Replace Them" Facebook ads as a joke.
Moving Beyond Sad Eyes
Creative Directors Simon Vicars and Andre Sallowicz pivoted away from traditional "guilt-trip" shelter advertising. By using comically blunt honesty, they reframed adoption as a functional solution for Empty Nest Syndrome. As Marketing Manager Cormac van den Hoofdakker noted, a dog is a superior choice because, unlike kids, they won't move to London for work.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Pedigree leveraged its global 'Feeding the Good' platform and adoption infrastructure to position itself as a facilitator of meaningful companionship. The brand used its credibility in pet nutrition and shelter partnerships to solve the problem of overpopulation.
Category
The category traditionally relies on guilt-based 'sad dog' tropes and emotional pleas to drive action. Pedigree broke this convention by using irreverent humor and utility-driven matching to make adoption feel like a joyful life upgrade rather than a charity act.
Customer
Empty nesters experience a sudden emotional 'void' and a loss of nurturing purpose when their children leave home. They possess the resources and time for a pet but need a specific nudge to see adoption as a direct emotional solution.
Culture
The campaign tapped into the cultural shift toward 'humanizing' pets and the relatable, bittersweet milestone of adult children moving out. it leveraged the dark-humor trend of parents jokingly 'replacing' their kids to land a serious adoption message.
Company
Pedigree leveraged its global 'Feeding the Good' platform and adoption infrastructure to position itself as a facilitator of meaningful companionship. The brand used its credibility in pet nutrition and shelter partnerships to solve the problem of overpopulation.
Category
The category traditionally relies on guilt-based 'sad dog' tropes and emotional pleas to drive action. Pedigree broke this convention by using irreverent humor and utility-driven matching to make adoption feel like a joyful life upgrade rather than a charity act.
Strategy:
Position dog adoption as the perfect emotional and functional substitute for children to fill the empty-nester void.
Customer
Empty nesters experience a sudden emotional 'void' and a loss of nurturing purpose when their children leave home. They possess the resources and time for a pet but need a specific nudge to see adoption as a direct emotional solution.
Culture
The campaign tapped into the cultural shift toward 'humanizing' pets and the relatable, bittersweet milestone of adult children moving out. it leveraged the dark-humor trend of parents jokingly 'replacing' their kids to land a serious adoption message.
Strategy:
Position dog adoption as the perfect emotional and functional substitute for children to fill the empty-nester void.
Results
Pedigree New Zealand's most successful adoption drive since launching in 2010. There was an 824% increase in dog adoption enquiries. The campaign generated more enquiries in six weeks than the last 2 years combined. Furthermore, it led to a 16% sales increase in a market growing at just 1%.
824%
increase in dog adoption enquiries
more
enquiries in six weeks than the last 2 years
16%
sales increase
Strategy Technique
Exaggerate to Reveal the Truth
The campaign exaggerates the idea of "child replacement" to humorously reveal the truth of empty-nester loneliness. This amplifies the emotional need and positions dogs as empathetic companions.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Analogy for the Solution
The campaign uses an elaborate analogy, positioning dogs as "replacement children" for empty-nesters. This helps the audience understand how dogs can fill the emotional void left by their children.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign's craft is exceptional in its audacious, humorous central idea, executed with remarkable consistency and cleverness across diverse media, transforming a poignant parental experience into a highly effective dog adoption drive.
The direct, witty, and slightly provocative messaging, such as 'When they move out, move on. Adopt a dog' and the interactive website prompts, masterfully delivers the campaign's humor and call to action.
The visual execution, from the clever manipulation of family photos to replace children with dogs in print and TV ads, to the design of the repurposed dog items, consistently maintains the campaign's playful and distinctive aesthetic.
The campaign's impact stems from the seamless combination of a bold central idea, sharp copywriting, and clever art direction, brought to life through innovative digital execution that creates a truly integrated and memorable experience.
