Academy Award-winning filmmakers The Fines of Interrogate create an I’m-not-crying-you’re-crying tribute to the differences being made in the lives of our furry loved ones. Created by Pinnacle Advertising for American auto accessory manufacturer WeatherTech, the 30-second spot “Lucky Dog” aired during the second quarter of the Super Bowl.
A reflection of the signature authenticity that The Fines bring to all their work, “Lucky Dog” stands out as a feel-good, do-good commercial. Taking a non-traditional approach to using advertising’s biggest stage, the WeatherTech spot never mentions or shows any of its products. Rather, founder and CEO David MacNeil took the $6 million advertising opportunity to express his gratitude for the cancer treatment his beloved 7-year-old golden retriever Scout received, thanks to The University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine.
The Fines’ penchant for telling stories grounded in authenticity made them the perfect caretakers of Scout’s story, which arrows right to the heart, while lovingly showcasing the importance of the crucial research and treatment being conducted at UW’s School of Veterinary Medicine. The ad is made all the more touching by taking us into the actual facility where Scout received stellar treatment and featuring the real doctors who saved his life.
Ending with images of Scout back on the beach in his home of Florida, the spot concludes with a call to action for viewers to donate online at WeatherTech.com/donate.
Last February, Scout was the star of WeatherTech’s Super Bowl commercial. Then, in the summer of 2019, Scout collapsed without warning, leading him to be diagnosed with a rare tumor on his heart, and given a 1% chance of survival and one month to live. Thanks to the experts at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine, Scout’s tumor has all but disappeared.
“Making this spot was an opportunity to shine a light on the UW Veterinary School and the cutting-edge work they are doing – something that unfortunately does not always receive its due credit,” The Fines say together. “Having lost our own beloved dog to cancer, capturing the incredible strides they are making was a meaningful experience.”
Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine are Oscar, Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmakers. They are known for creating impactful documentaries, such as War/Dance, Inocente, and their HBO film Life According to Sam. They’ve also brought their emotion-led vision to the commercial world, working with clients such as Northrop Grumman, Panera, the Smithsonian, Gatorade, and more.
“In our careers, we’ve learned that filmmaking can be quite an effective call to action,” says Andrea. “Instead of thanking the facility with a one-time donation, MacNeil used the Super Bowl as an opportunity to raise awareness about the remarkable work being done. We hope the spot has far-reaching effects and inspires compassion in people to donate.”