Swapping Shells: Zoopla Launches New Crabworld Campaign

Zoopla, the UK’s leading property website, has enlisted the help of a cast of hermit crabs as it unveils its biggest ever campaign. Devised by creative agency 101 in collaboration with Royle Productions, the Crabworld campaign initially launches with 60 and 30 second TVCs on April 17th. 

Directed by 101’s Augusto Sola through Riff Raff, the films feature several hermit crabs – the world’s most prolific movers – who move between custom-made shells, each adorned with a 3D printed property, to replicate the simplicity of moving homes through Zoopla. 

Tasked with making the creative concept a reality, Royle Productions contacted several specialists, including wildlife documentary producers, to determine the likelihood of creating the campaign without VFX. With the specialists confirming that the hermit crabs would indeed move from shell to shell, the team set about sourcing a location which played host to hermit crabs, ultimately settling on Costa Rica.

Sarah Marcon, Head of Production at Royle Productions, explains: “The houses were 3D printed whilst the shells were more traditionally modelled, based on the shells that we’d source from Costa Rica, and were fused together by modelmakers.

“It was a pleasure to work with 101 again following on from the Costa campaign we collaborated on last year. Throughout the project, Gus (Sola) was immensely passionate about the idea.”

The fully integrated campaign, which will air across TV, cinema, online and VOD, launches on April 17th.