Small Dogs Are 'Hero-Ish' in Comic Campaign From Pedigree

Are you my little superhero? Yes you are! Yes you are!

Pedigree celebrates the indomitable spirit of small dogs in “Hero-Ish,” fresh work from BBDO New York that features furry Instagram influencers Coco and Cici the Maltese, Bertie the Pomeranian, Maya the Mini Dachshund and Ducky the Yorkie.

“Anyone who has met a small dog knows that their personalities are not proportionate to their size,” says Craig Neely, vp of marketing at Pedigree parent Mars Petcare. “Whether they think they’re rescuing their human from the ‘evil’ mailman or hypnotizing them with their puppy-dog eyes, all small dogs have this superhero complex.”

The campaign features a digital comic book, as the pugnacious pups stop their humans from driving off without them.

Instead of channeling the forces of the cosmos, maybe they could’ve just hopped into the car? Or barked a whole lot?

Videos combine animation and live action for some not-so-hair-raising adventures:

Sure, they’re super. But guard dogs they’re not! A cyclops and valkyrie invade the house, and they’re cool with that?

Snapchat lenses and filters let users view their little nippers as superheroes and interact with them inside illustrated panels:

Finally, fans can enter this contest for a chance to place their pets in the next issue of “The League of Hero-ish Small Dogs” comic book.

The work marks an evolution of Pedigree’s past canine-superhero outings. And across all those new elements, there’s nary a cat to be found. Guess they’re off plotting world domination and scratching up the curtains. Hisss…

Recently, we’ve seen several brands add comic books to their marketing mix. Notable examples include Marvel and Allegheny Health Network’s salute to nurses on the front lines of the pandemic, and Travelers’ moving tribute to a superhero-obsessed boy killed by a distracted driver.

CREDITS:

Agency, BBDO New York
David Lubars, Chief Creative Office, Worldwide
Peter Kain, Executive Creative Director
Gianfranco Arena, Executive Creative Director
Matthew Page, Creative Director
Carolyn Davis, Creative Director
Bhanu Arbuaratna, Associate Creative Director, Design
Dave Rolfe, Head of Integrated Production
Amy Wertheimer, Executive Producer
Danielle Amico, Senior Producer
Ray McGale, Production Design Lead
Sally Nathans, Senior Account Director
Elizabeth Maini, Account Director
Isabel Pluck, Account Manager
Annemarie Norris, Group Planning Director
Karin Santiago, Planning Director
Brian Brydon, Communications Planning Director

Titmouse
Executive Producers:
Chris Prynoski
Shannon Prynoski
Ben Kalina

Producer:
Will Feng

Creative Director:
Simon Wilches Castro

Pencils:
Mark Pacella

Inks:
Simon Wilches Castro

Color:
Carl Aspuria

Letterer:
Dezi Sienty