Don’t get ‘Petfished’
The UK is a nation of pet lovers. From furry felines to happy hounds, we can’t get enough. But as we buy our pets in droves, do we always know who we’re buying them from? There’s a thriving underground trade that’s putting our pets in danger.
Deceitful sellers are using every trick in the book to sell puppies and kittens with no regard for their welfare. These sellers are very difficult to spot, with online ads using fake pictures that look just like the real thing. They’re cunning, conniving and could be anyone.
So how do we raise awareness when we know that people don’t do any research of the seller before purchase and most are unaware that deceitful sellers even exist?
Watch the case study film
We gave the act of being deceived a name – ‘Petfished’.
Then we sent investigative journalist Leah Green and a documentary film crew on a mission to expose this online trickery and give people the tools to spot the red flags. Leah spoke to victims, vets, the RSPCA and breeders, all of whom gave their insight and perspective on Petfishing.
Watch the documentary film
A coalition of partners helped spread the word by asking people to question the identity of the person they were buying from. A number of famous pet owners – including Jason Robinson, Kirsty Gallacher and Sam Warburton – supported the campaign on their social media channels. We even got the message to the heart of the dog-loving community at Crufts.
The campaign gained extensive coverage within the media including features on Sky News and BBC Breakfast
Accolades
The campaign was widely awarded across the industry including winning at the SABRE Awards, PRMoment Awards and the DMAs. It was shortlisted for best PR campaign at the Drum Social Purpose Awards and in the Public Sector – Value for Money category at the PRCA Awards, Best use of Creativity and Best Public Awareness Campaign at the Purpose Awards and by The Marketing Society in the Marketing For Good category, amongst others.