Most Innovative campaign? Driving Dogs!

With the New Year now nicely underway, it's always interesting to consider the most innovative campaign from the past 6 months.

Innovation features something ‘new’ and for a campaign can mean a number of things

•         Change of course in key communication message
•         Communicating this in a new way
•         Trialling a new platform
•         Seeking attraction amongst a new consumer demographic

 Monty, Ginny and Porter passing their driving tests on live television

During the course of the past 6 months I would have to say the award for most innovative campaign has to go to ‘Driving Dogs’ by New Zealand’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Cleverly sponsored by the ultra ‘smart’ Mini, the campaign documents the training of three abandoned rescue dogs as they shed their ‘learner plates’ and become fully-fledged certified drivers; proving just how clever these rescued animals can be.

Rather than capitalise on the pathos of the abandoned animals, ‘Driving Dogs’ marks a deviation from the more commonly used communications messages of loneliness and distress by exciting the viewer and drawing them in through positive communications such as amazement, intrigue and joy. Even those who do not consider themselves animal lovers are drawn in and draw a smile due to the never seen before content of driving dogs!

By airing the dogs passing their driving test live online, the viewer forms a very real and genuine connection with the dogs unlike a regular aired TV ad. The beauty of its execution is you don’t feel you are being preached at to ‘do the right thing,’ nor do you feel you are being heavily marketed at.  These dogs are depicted not as second-class animals because they have been abandoned. Rather, they exemplify just what these animals can do and achieve in the right environment; become fun loving and clever family pets.

The medium of live streaming online has the ability to reach audiences in their millions and works highly effectively for innovative ‘world first’ campaigns that can be viewed live globally and spark further conversations both on and offline; the most poignant example of this is sure to be Felix Baumgartner’s Red Bull Stratos Space jump. The dedicated Facebook, YouTube and microsites set up for ‘Driving Dogs’, facilitated the online conversations and social sharing in a sector first for an animal charity. One Facebook post on the driving dogs page from a Susan Regan in Canada makes the clear ‘this great publicity campaign brought attention to shelter dogs from all over the world (I’m in Canada).’

Whilst ownership of the innovative campaign belongs to SPCA, it is also an innovative sponsoring by Mini to propel their ‘smart car’ proposition. Aligning the smartness of the car with the smartness of the driving dogs, is certainly a deviation from its more design and image focused marketing you expect from the brand.

If I were to award a runner up, I’d give Coke Zero’s 007 Skyfall challenge the silver for being a campaign that reacted so pertinently to popular culture. Coca-Cola’s ability to play up its history and yet be so entrenched in our everyday existence (e.g., Olympics future flames, move to the beat, Skyfall challenge, the holidays are coming) is the epitome of innovation.

To view commuters take up the 007 challenge in a heart stopping 70 seconds, check out the below video.