Witness a Heartwarming Tale of a Man and His Dog in This Beautiful Animated Ad

For the past 25 years, James Wellbeloved has been on a mission to reconnect pets to a better, more natural way of living and eating that benefits their wellbeing.

It all started in Somerset, with two poorly Boxer dogs who had itchy skin, upset tummies and a distressed owner. She started to make them simple foods inspired by nature and was amazed by the difference in her dogs.  Today James Wellbeloved is still made in rural Somerset, but not all pet owners are aware of our delicious, naturally healthy pet food.

AMV BBDO have developed the very first campaign for James Wellbeloved, which revolves around the notion of loving well with nature. It’s implicit in everything James Wellbeloved do and it was vital that the work ultimately reflected this.

Nicholas Hulley and Nadja Lossgott are the creative team behind the campaign and their story - brought to life by the multi-award-winning directing duo againstallodds from Passion Animation Studios, - tells the fable of Jack and his beloved little dog, Harry, as they find themselves in a completely dark and natureless environment. They are a pair of buskers – alone in the unforgiving city – saving money for a brand new shiny motorbike, or so we think. Perhaps he is dreaming of something else. 

The film is designed to remind us that to love our pets well is to reconnect them with nature.  And that choosing to feed them a naturally healthy pet food like James Wellbeloved makes reconnecting our pets with nature easy to fit into even the most urban lifestyle.

As with any animation, the process has been meticulous, and the result is a film that speaks to the human yearning for nature in a poignant, profound and poetic way.

The song that helps us tell the story is a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s beautiful Landslide.

Alison Sudbury, Marketing Director at James Wellbeloved said: "This impactful, emotive and vibrant new campaign tells a beautiful story that encapsulates what the James Wellbeloved brand is all about - loving well with nature. The advertising campaign, together with the launch of our new-look website, are part of a brand refresh as we move into our 25th year. We're excited for consumers to see more from James Wellbeloved and discover our naturally healthy approach to pet food."

Derek and Niklas of againstallodds from Passion Animation Studios said: “We loved the idea of exploring this dark “Mega City” and building it around a relationship between young Jack and his dog Harry. No dialogue is always an interesting way to bring to life a story. It’s about subtlety and body language to get that emotional twist."

Alex Grieve & Adrian Rossi, Executive Creative Directors at AMV BBDO said: “It’s a beautiful example of modern storytelling, building an emotional tale of the love between a young man and his dog. The film is designed to provoke people to think differently; showing there is another way to love your pet, and that James Wellbeloved is best placed to deliver it.”

The campaign broke as a 60 second spot during the TV coverage of Crufts – the world’s biggest dog show – on Thursday 9th March, and will air during Coronation Street on Friday 10th. The campaign is being activated through TV, online video, social channels, PR events, in-store, digital and experiential.