Lyka launches a mini horror movie about bad doggie doo doo via OUTSIDE IN and DIVISION 

Picking up bad dog poo has been too horrifying for too long. That’s why Lyka, Australia’s leading fresh dog food company, has unveiled its latest campaign with independent creative agency OUTSIDE IN featuring a tongue-in-cheek horror movie that brings to life every dog owner’s worst nightmare – a sloppy, totally un-pick-able doggie doo doo.

‘The Brutal Pick-Up’ campaign was born from the insight that found many Aussie dog owners have normalised bad poos, and don’t know that bad dog poo could be a sign something’s wrong with their dog’s gut health. The good news is, switching to a real food diet is the most powerful solution for canine gut issues, with 87% of Lyka customers noticing their dog had better poos* after making the switch.

Says Analise Burwood, creative director at Lyka: “As a challenger brand, we can’t afford to be quiet. To break through lifelong dog food habits, we needed a disruptive idea. What’s the best indicator of a dog’s health? Their poo. It’s the honest, gross, and undeniable picture of what’s happening on the inside. That made ‘The Brutal Pick-up’ a clear winner. It’s simple, a little gross, funny, and sparks an essential conversation with dog owners. Huge thanks to our gorgeous dog star Maple, director Harry Welsh, producer Cooki, and the OUTSIDE IN team for bringing this to life!”

Says Grace Leat, OUTSIDE IN co-founder: “It’s not every day you get a brief about dog poo. We knew straight away the way to cut through was to lean into the grossness, flip it into dark comedy, and make people think about what their dog’s poop is really saying.”

Directed by DIVISION’s Harry Welsh, the campaign brings the horror of a bad poo pickup to life with its eerie atmospherics, dramatic lighting, score and tongue-in-cheek scares. He said: “It’s not often you get a brief this bold which you can push this far, it was a real joy to craft this nightmare.”

The integrated campaign runs across BVOD, OOH, social and digital from this week, and is designed to get Australian dog owners thinking about how their pup’s food can impact their health.

Client: Lyka 
Creative Director: Analise Burwood
Senior Creative Producer: Emily Green
Brand Marketing Director: Cassandra Do Carmo
Social Media Lead: April Gore
Animator: Matt Grech 
Designer: Lizzie Wood 

Creative Agency: OUTSIDE IN
Grace Leat, Jac Kelly, Lucie de La Chaise

Produced by DIVISION
Director: Harry Welsh
MD | Executive Producer: Genevieve Triquet 
Producer: Cooki 
Production Assistant: Juliette Houdent
Production Manager: Daisy Bray
Director’s Assistant: Khushi Patil
DOP: Jack Birtles
1st AD: Angus Bolles 
1st AC: Dylan Jeffrey
Sound Recordist: Jack Moyseiyev
Key Grip: Richie Brown
Gaffer: Nik Damianakis
Production Designer: Hayden Relf
Costume Designer: Verity Mackey
Hair and Make Up Designer: Amelia Fell

Casting Agency: Byrne Creative
Casting Director: Sarah McGrath
Lead Talent: Agnes Choi, Sean Kennan, Margaret Morgan, Evelyn Creer 
Animal Casting: Action Animals
Animal Trainer: Rachelle Tiah
Dog Talent: Maple  

Post Production: ARC Post Production
Post Producer: Sally Quade 
Junior Producer: Cheryn Frost
Editor: Laurence van Camp
Colourist: Wes Grant 
Online: Jesse Meha 

Sound: Rumble Studios 
Sound Design: Daniel Gosskopf 
Composer: Harrison Chapman

Stills: Dean Podmore 
Media Agency: Alchemy One