In Australia over 400,000 pets are abandoned each year. 250,000 of these innocent pets are cruelly put down because Australians prefer new pets rather than adopting a rescue animal from a shelter.

One reason that this heartbreaking situation occurs in the first place is that the messages about proper nutrition and care aren’t getting through. The second reason is that Australians think abandoned dogs & cats are ‘damaged goods’, too risky to adopt. A terrible cycle, one that currently had limited awareness or hope. If we could only find a way to share the stories of how these rescue pets could complete a home and go on to live happy healthy lives, Purina stood a good chance of making a real difference.

No standard format can get across the emotion and connection that happens when the perfect pet meets the perfect family. So, we invented our own. A money-can’t-buy free-to-air TV and online series.

Channel Nine (the biggest in Australia) seized on the idea– 10 x 30 minute episodes called ‘Dr. Lisa to the Rescue’. They gave it a premier timeslot on Saturday afternoon and a whole section of the online catch-up platform featuring deeper Purina branded health, nutrition and pet-care content.

In each episode, Dr Lisa found and fitted a dog to a new home. Along the way, she provided tips and guidance on pet-care to ensure a happy partnership.

Lisa recorded exclusive, behind-the-scenes videos, answering questions raised by Purina’s community of dog owners, designed to raise the status and profile of the Purina masterbrand. These were hosted on our catch-up channel and distributed widely using advanced data targeting techniques.

Over a million adults embraced the content – over 400,000 hours of viewing across the series.

The show was so successful it has been syndicated globally, with deals in place in New Zealand and Thailand.

A brand engagement tracking study showed that viewers were 47% more engaged with Purina – our brand purpose coming to the fore.

Tracking results showed that viewers believed Purina offers holistic pet care solutions, with purchase consideration scores increasing for both the masterbrand and featured products.

Pet retailer Pet Barn, which featured in advertising placed adjacent to the content, saw a 9% YOY growth in Purina sales for the period coinciding with the series.

The Animal Welfare League adoption website received a 30% increase in traffic and the best winter ever in terms of dogs being adopted: the charity rehomed 8,652 dogs last year – incredible results. In one state (NSW) alone, the number