Puppies Academy campaign for Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind goes live

The Voice of Dog

At indiepics, we love a tail with a happy ending.  Particularly if it’s been wagging. Which is why when the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind put a shout out for some help with their new Puppy Raiser recruitment campaign, our Head of Video, Maria, answered the call.  

So we are now really excited to finally show you the finished campaign.  We have been working like dogs, seriously. And not just us. The voice of our narrator, AKA the Dogfather is none other than Baz Ashmawy who not only loves his mammy, but also loves dogs.  The Irish Rugby international Sean O Brien couldn’t resist helping out too, as well as the ever stylish Lisa of Just Jordan fame.

And Sword’s finest, Kodaline showed us they weren’t just accomplished songwriters, but also total softies when it came to our four-legged friends.  Not only do they feature, but they’ve allowed us to use their amazing track “Love Like This” on the video. Who says you should never meet your heroes?  Or work with animals? Not us!

Which brings me to the great cause we’ve been doing all this pro bono work for.  Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind really need your help. Every month they have the cutest balls of fluff being born to their mams all over Ireland.  The problem is that these pups need to be socialised and raised from 7-8 weeks until 14 months if they’re going to make it as properly trained guide dogs.  This means that they need to be placed with loving families, single people, older people, anyone who can spend a year walking, feeding, socialising and loving them.  

If the pups can’t be placed with a Puppy Raiser, then they’re potentially lost as a Guide Dog and that means that the people who really need them – the visually impaired and children with autism – won’t get the help they need.  SO it’s really vital that we recruit as many Puppy Raisers as possible. Of course, the big problem is handing the pup back after a year. We know that’s very off putting for people. But it should be some reassurance that raising a puppy for a year means that you are having a direct impact on someone else’s life.  You are responsible for looking after the pup that transforms someone’s life. Plus, you can always take another puppy! Trust me, there’s loads.

Aside from being great fun to work on, this project allowed us to really flex our creative muscles. With our rebrand this year, it’s been a big year for indiepics.  This project shows off our in-house creative talent. All set design, build and props are by our incredibly talented Jordana. Directed by Nat, our Head of Design, this was a VERY hands on project.  Behind the scenes, we did a lot of in-depth research and proposed a creative strategy that repositioned the problem (i.e. you only have the puppy for a year) and told it from the puppies' point of view.

Not only that, but our Head of Digital, Sarah devised a digital strategy across multiple platforms including targeted social ads to ensure that this campaign hits our targets. Because we really need you to take a puppy! You can sign up here by the way…

Many thanks also to the amazing cameramen Colin Morrisson and Michael Edge; Noel and Gerry in Beacon for sound; Kevin Cooney and Meabh Jones for editing and Karl Smith for GFX - as well as Aileen Power who optimised the digital side of things. Props also to NK Management, Line Up Sports, Sony and Spirit Music, GOC carpets.