Caramelos: Tatá Werneck takes up the mixed-breed canine cause

Many of us will be familiar with Pedigree as a dog food company, but even keen canine-lovers may not be aware that in Brazil, tan-coloured dogs called 'Caramelos' are far less likely to be adopted despite having become "central to Brazilian culture and life", as the creators of this campaign explain. Some 30 million animals in Brazil have yet to find a home, according to the Pet Homelessness Index calculated by Mars Petcare. Through its Brazilian adoption program, PEDIGREE® aims to ensure that all dogs find loving homes - a tall order in any country. This campaign is led by the actress, presenter, and influencer Tatá Werneck, and supported by a team of national celebrities that include João Vicente de Castro, Alejandro Claveaux, Gabriel Louchard, Jhonatan Oliveira, Gustavo Tubarão, TET, and Viralatacaramelo, the brand’s ambassador. "PEDIGREE® sees the Caramelo as not only an icon of Brazilian culture, but a representative of all mixed-breed dogs,” explains PEDIGREE®. “While awareness of pet homelessness is rising, factors like appearance, age, and coat color have a direct impact on these animals’ chances of being adopted. PEDIGREE® is a democratic brand, just like the Caramelo, and that’s why we believe that together we can touch people’s hearts and get them on board with the movement to take our beloved Caramelos out of shelters and make them the most-adopted dogs in Brazil.” Werneck has 12 adopted pets herself and is known for her love of animals and support for animal welfare. When she discovered that mixed-breeds like her dog Maminha can’t be registered for dog shows because they’re not purebreds, she and PEDIGREE® teamed up to develop the Caramelos campaign giving Caramelos everything that purebreds enjoy. Among its planned activities are a groundbreaking genetic study of 350 Caramelos, carried out in partnership with DNA Pets, to establish the physical, genetic, and health traits they all share. Another is the founding of the Caramelo Kennel Club, a community supported by PEDIGREE® and designed to bring Caramelo lovers together, providing them with exclusive content, news adoption events, and relevant launches. The brand will also put on the first-ever Caramelo Dog Show, starring the titular breed and other four-legged friends, which will also include a major adoption fair. Another significant campaign initiative is the repackaging of PEDIGREE® products – now they’ll be illustrated with the photo of a Caramelo. What do you think of the initiative and this ad - does it strike the right notes to achieve some real change?

Keywords: PEDIGREE® ‘Adotar é Tudo De Bom’, Pedigree x Caramelos,Tatá Werneck, stray dogs Brazil, dog adoption, pet homelessness, Mars Petcare, AlmapBBDO