Problem:

In New Zealand, people think shelter dogs are damaged goods, so finding homes for them is difficult. We had to change this. As an SPCA sponsor, MINI wanted to help.

Idea:

We proved shelter dogs are smarter than people think. We taught them to drive, and proved it using some of the most incredible content the world had seen.

Results:

In one week:

• 100 million reached through social media

• 10 million Youtube views

• NZ adoption interest increased 590%

• Every SCPA dog was adopted

People need to trust a dog with their family, so it was crucial we proved shelter dogs are able to be trained (and trained well) in the most compelling, convincing way possible. Only such an audacious idea could reassure people that adoption wasn’t a risk.

The campaign was a genuine world first. We had to devise an 8 week “dog driving” training course; modify a car so a dog could drive it; and then film them behind the wheel actually driving.

By making heroes of the dogs we also subverted conventional adoption advertising which often paints the dogs as victims.

People need to trust a dog with their family, so it was crucial we proved shelter dogs are able to be trained (and trained well) in the most compelling, convincing way possible. Only such an audacious idea could reassure people that adoption wasn’t a risk.

The campaign was a genuine world first. We had to devise an 8 week “dog driving” training course; modify a car so a dog could drive it; and then film them behind the wheel actually driving.

By making heroes of the dogs we also subverted conventional adoption advertising which often paints the dogs as victims.