Director Matt Uhry of production house Rodeo Show teamed with agency Camp Jefferson for TELUS Health MyPet™, a new mobile app that lets you visit a veterinarian from your phone. The lively spot, “MyPet,” depicts a frustration that all pet owners share–coaxing your pet into a trip to the vet’s office.
Leaning into his deep experience as a director of animal and pet-related content, Uhry worked with lead set trainer Sheigh Crabtree in Los Angeles to cast 17 animals for the spot. In capturing the pet-corralling moments, the team brought forth the unique personality of each animal before resolving the action in a happy place–emphasizing the ease and convenience of visiting MyPet™ from home.
“We wanted to convey the hijinx of getting pets to the vet as something that’s both endearing and comical,” said Uhry. “By basing it on behaviors I knew we could capture from our animal performers–like escaping out of an open window or hiding under the bed – we were able to put together this very relatable commercial.”
Uhry said that the greatest challenge of the spot was humorously depicting cats and dogs resisting a visit to the vet. This meant that rather than working from a place of fear, animals performed trained behaviors with joy and precision. This required Uhry and his team to get creative in their storytelling, working with the various animals and their unique skill sets. For example, one cat was adept at shutting a door with its paw, while a 120-pound Great Pyrenees dog preferred to remain immovable.
“The Pyrenees is a guard dog by nature and can be quite stoic and strong-willed,” noted Uhry. “She just would not move, so for this spot we didn’t have to train her to stay still, it’s just her nature. She stole the show in a way, even without having to do any tricks. Her performance is rooted in authenticity and breed-specific characteristics.”
Credits
Client TELUS Health Agency Camp Jefferson Julia Morra, executive creative director; Lisa Lakreche, copywriter; Katlyn Kelava, art director; Michelle Tafler, SVP, general manager. Agency Production Makers Piper Ainsworth, producer; Roma Ahi, executive producer. Production Company Rodeo Show Matt Uhry, director/DP; Hani Selim, exec producer; Martell Rose, line producer; Paul Gubser, production designer.
NHS England, M&C Saatchi UK, Director Tom Tagholm Team On PSA Highlighting The Overlooked Signs Of A Stroke
National Health Service (NHS) England has unveiled a multichannel campaign, “Act FAST,” to raise awareness of the individual signs of a stroke and get people to call 999 as soon as they suspect they may be experiencing any one symptom. The push, which is part of the ongoing “Help Us, Help You” campaign, was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi UK.
The campaign depicts everyday situations where everything might seem relatively normal, but where there’s the sign of someone experiencing a stroke.
A key component of the campaign is this :30--directed by Tom Tagholm of Various Films--which sets up the idea that initially, a stroke might not seem like much, highlighting key symptoms: from struggling to use a paint roller, to not being able to smile when watching TV, to slurring your speech when reading a story to your grandchild. The PSA emphasizes that time is critical, ending with the line: “Face or arm or speech, at the first sign, it’s time to call 999.”
Jo Bacon, Group CEO, M&C Saatchi UK, said, “We want to ensure people take action on the first symptom, rather than waiting for more conclusive signs. To help them understand that even when everything seems normal, something serious might be happening.”
Matt Lee, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi UK, commented: “This is important work. We wanted to explore that precise moment when your world shifts, quietly yet powerfully, off its axis during a stroke. We highlight how a tiny external moment can actually be seismic—an extraordinary gear change, framed in a really ordinary way.”
Director Tagholm shared, “My Dad suffered a stroke a few years ago and was saved from the worst by acting quickly, and by the work of the NHS. So there’s... Read More