Pedigree’s “Adoptable” campaign, winner of the Cannes Lions 2024 Outdoor Grand Prix, is a groundbreaking initiative that transforms every Pedigree ad into an adoption opportunity for a shelter dog by leveraging AI and programmatic advertising for real-world purposes.

How the Campaign Works

• AI-Powered Image Transformation: Pedigree partnered with Colenso BBDO and Nexus Studios to develop machine learning models that turn basic, amateur photos of shelter dogs—often captured by busy staff—into high-quality, studio-grade images.
• Dynamic, Localised Advertising: These enhanced images are plugged into Pedigree’s digital and out-of-home (OOH) ads. Each display dynamically features dogs currently available at local shelters, matching viewers with adoptable pets nearest to them using geo-targeting and first-party data.
• Programmatic Updates: Once a featured dog is adopted, the advertising automatically updates to include the next available shelter dog, keeping the campaign relevant and actionable in real time.
• QR Codes & Landing Pages: Viewers can scan QR codes on OOH ads to learn more about each dog, see profiles, and begin the adoption process seamlessly.

Purpose and Impact

• Social Mission: The “Adoptable” campaign aims to address dog homelessness by turning Pedigree’s advertising budget and platforms into direct advocates for shelter dog adoption. Instead of generic brand messaging, every ad helps a shelter dog find a home.
• Tangible Results: In the first two weeks:
  • Shelter visits increased sixfold.
  • 12% more visitors adopted a dog after interacting with an ad.
  • 50% of featured dogs found homes.
• Scalable Global Solution: The technology pipeline is being deployed globally; by 2026, every Pedigree digital touchpoint could feature a local adoptable dog rather than stock imagery.

Why Cannes Lions Awarded the Grand Prix

• The Outdoor Jury recognised the campaign for its “brand relevance and innovative use of AI,” stating that it “didn’t use AI for the sake of it but used technology not to replace craft and art but rather to move the category forward”.
• Jury president Marco Venturelli noted it as a model of how purpose-driven campaigns should leverage technology—“it would be impossible without AI”.
• The campaign’s ability to merge a commercial brand and a social cause with practical creativity and measurable impact stood out among global entries.

Summary

With “Adoptable,” Pedigree has set a new standard in purpose-led marketing, harnessing AI and targeted, programmatic advertising not just to sell products, but to drive widespread dog adoption. This initiative proves the power of technology and creativity united for positive change.

The Adoptable campaign measured its 6x increase in shelter visits by tracking online traffic to shelter dog profile pages during the first two weeks after launch. Programmatic ads and QR codes directed viewers to specific shelter websites, allowing for precise measurement of digital visits and engagement. The comparison was made between baseline (pre-campaign) data on shelter profile visits and the surge in visits once Adoptable assets were live, with analytics tools verifying a sixfold increase in online interactions and enquiries about shelter dogs.