RSPCA shakes up Christmas
If you thought 2012’s ‘The Snowman and the Snowdog’ was a tear-jerker, the RSPCA’s brand new video ‘The Snowglobe’ (www.rspca.org.uk/snowglobe) will leave you in more of a puddle than a snowman.
Sadly, the run-up to Christmas is not always a joyful one for animals and the video highlights the fact the festive period means a sharp rise in calls to the RSPCA’s animal cruelty hotline.
Last year saw the highest number of calls ever to the RSPCA over the festive period, with 11,089 calls between Christmas Eve and New Years Day- with 1,140 of those on Christmas Day alone.
“The film may be a hard watch for some, but it’s cleverly designed to awaken people to the scale of the issue,” said Emily Munford, RSPCA head of digital media.
“This is something that isn’t going away, but with the help of this video and the support of the public, we believe we can make a real difference,” she added.
It was created, in collaboration with the RSPCA, by multi-award-winning content agency Don’t Panic, who have worked with organisations such as Save the Children and Greenpeace on hard-hitting campaigns.
The video evokes a nostalgic feeling of a classic Christmas. With a haunting soundtrack, the film begins with an idyllic Christmas scene that quickly takes a turn for the worse.
“We wanted to remind people that for many animals, it won’t be a Happy Christmas,” says Richard Beer, Creative Director of Don’t Panic. “By putting animal cruelty into the context of much loved Christmas films, we hope we can bring this sad fact home to animal lovers all over the country at a time when animals need their love more than ever.”
The film is part of the RSPCA’s winter campaign. In December alone, the RSPCA are expecting over 70,000 calls to their cruelty hotline, with as many as 23,000 animals in serious need of help.
To support the RSPCA’s winter campaign text RESCUE to 84010 to donate £3*
For more information about the RSPCA, please visit www.rspca.org.uk/countdown
Notes for editors:
Further information on The Snowglobe animation:
On YouTube, the video employs a distinctive looping mechanic, asking the viewer to intervene with a click to prevent the animal cruelty they can see on-screen.
Clicking takes the viewer to the end of the video where, as the final lines appear, we see the film in the background return to where it began, with a looming threat hanging over this seemingly happy Christmas scene. The implication is clear: unless the RSPCA gets the help it needs, the cycle of violence might be endless.
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