Nonprofit PetSmart Charities has partnered with Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort and PetSmart to shine a light on an important cause: uniting adoptable pets with loving homes to help relieve overcrowded and struggling shelters. They have teamed up to create a new video, released on YouTube and social media today (5/5), featuring comedian Dana Carvey who reprises his memorable impersonation of King Charles III and encourages viewers to adopt a dog through PetSmart Charities.
Ahead of the coronation, Carvey’s King Charles makes the connection between his name and that of the beloved family dog breed, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and asks that viewers refrain from buying a King Charles spaniel on coronation day and instead adopt a shelter dog.
The new social media campaign was inspired by the reported flurry of demand for dog breeds from popular movies and television shows, such as the reported uptick in purchases of dalmatians tied to a popular 1990s movie and TV series about the iconic black-and-white pups. When people buy dogs based only on pop culture moments, animal welfare organizations say these dogs are surrendered to shelters when people discover the breed isn’t the right fit for their family or their lifestyle.
For PetSmart Charities, this is a moment to call attention to the need for shelter pets to find loving homes. More than 5 million pets enter shelters each year, and today they’re staying longer. This has led to severe overcrowding and a strain on resources for shelters, rescues and animal welfare organizations. PetSmart Charities encourages families to consider adoption and talk with shelters and animal welfare organizations that can help them find the perfect match. This simple decision can save the life of a shelter pet.
“With millions of adoptable pets in need of homes, we knew we needed to think big to draw attention to this pressing issue,” said Aimee Gilbreath, president of PetSmart Charities. “There are few moments bigger than the coronation of a new king, and there is an urgent need for people with big love and a little extra space in their homes to adopt a new best friend. We’re excited for the opportunity to get more pets adopted into loving homes so families can experience the mutual benefits of caring for a pet.”
Maximum Effort created the video through PetSmart’s participation in MNTN’s Creative-as-a-Subscription (CaaS) service, a program that allows brands to bundle their creative and media spend.
“Dogs make our lives better in innumerable and unforgettable ways, so we wanted to take this moment to hopefully make a few of their lives better,” said Maximum Effort co-founder George Dewey. “From the royal King Charles and Corgis to the more common ‘not quite sure what they are,’ we wish all the doggos the best.”
This video featuring Carvey was directed by Tom Morris via production company SixTwentySix.
CreditsClient PetSmart Charities Agency Maximum Effort Production Company SixTwentySix Tom Morris, director; Brooks Ludwick, DP; Sage Griffin, production designer; Jolene Nava, wardrobe.
Filmmaker Natalie Johns Creates Spec Gun Violence Prevention PSA
Her social media feed is filled with frustration and “prayers” for families torn apart by yet another mass shooting as filmmaker Natalie Johns is engaged in the morning ritual of negotiating school attendance with her 4½-year-old. Between laughing and arguing with their daughter, the Johns think deeply about the prospect of waking up without her--deeply enough to feel an inch of what it might be like to lose her--a feeling profound enough inspire her most personal commitment to date as a filmmaker.
“Gun violence should not be a normalized part of life in America,” she noted. “I felt it was worth putting my whole heart on the line to deliver this message.”
The director invited her long-time collaborator and cinematographer, Bill Kirstein (Mean Girls, Happyend), to capture their family’s experience over several mornings in a spec PSA. She wanted to capture her own joy and truth as a parent with a view to inspiring action from the deepest love she has known.
On the third day of filming, Johns received an email from their daughter’s preschool notifying parents of a lockdown that had occurred due to a gunman outside the school. The children, aged 2-5, were gathered in a small bathroom for an hour, singing songs with their teachers while the man was apprehended by law enforcement. This was the family’s first narrow escape from tragedy.
“The coincidence of filming this PSA and experiencing my family’s first lockdown was both shocking and surreal. I simply could not wrap my head around it,” said director Johns.
Even more terrifying for Johns was discussing the incident with other parents who had already experienced several lockdowns with their older children. This reality is all too common and far too... Read More