StrawberryFrog's Movement for Nature’s Variety Instinct

Nature's Variety, makers of the Instinct® brand and official pet food partner of Best Friends Animal Society, announced that its initial goal of 9,000 photos for its Long Live Pets campaign has been overwhelmingly surpassed with more than 25,000 photos of adopted rescued dogs having been submitted by pet parents across the country.

The photos are part of a nationwide Cultural Movement to raise awareness of the three to four million pets that are killed each year in America’s animal shelters.

Created by StrawberryFrog, and produced by BReel, the movement inspired pet owners to submit thousands of the photos - a select number which have been woven together to produce a groundbreaking short film that captures the joy of rescue dogs’ initial journeys from shelters to their forever homes. Pet lovers can go to LongLivePets.com to see the heartwarming final film along with a gallery of all 25,000 photos.

The national broadcast premiere of the film will air April 17 between 9-10 p.m. EDT/8-9 p.m. CDT on the Nat Geo WILDnetwork.

“We set out with a goal of 9,000 photos to bring attention to the estimated 9,000 dogs and cats killed each day in America’s shelters simply because they can’t find homes,” said Robert Bennett, chief marketing officer of Nature’s Variety.

“However, we’ve been absolutely overwhelmed with the response from rescue-pet parents, who allowed us to almost triple that initial goal. Our company purpose is to empower people to transform the lives of pets, and it’s been humbling and inspiring to see so many people participating in the Long Live Pets campaign and helping to raise awareness of the rewards of adopting a shelter animal.”

"Nature's Variety has done something so meaningful and beautiful and highly effective marketing. They're on the front line of marketing today by committing to a Cultural Movement rather than simply an ad campaign, says Kevin McKeon CCO of StrawberryFrog. "The results are clear. Movements move brands to people to move product. Help spread the word LONG LIVE PETS!”

In addition to soliciting photos and underwriting the production of the film, Nature’s Variety has given a cash donation to Best Friends and is supplying its Instinct brand dog and cat food to Best Friends’ Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah to help feed the 1,000 dogs and cats being cared for on the sanctuary grounds. Nature’s Variety’s overarching goal for this campaign is to bring more awareness to pets available for adoption and to inspire others to act.
 
“We are grateful to our partners at Nature’s Variety for leading this campaign that sheds light on the joy that dogs have as they are adopted out of shelters,” said Gregory Castle, co-founder and CEO of Best Friends Animal Society. “Our hope is that this video will serve as an inspiration for others to adopt a shelter pet, volunteer, donate or spread the word about the millions of loving pets still waiting in shelters for forever homes.”