We humans are curious creatures by default. It’s in our blood to explore and discover new things. Think of it like reading a good book: we put ourselves in the shoes of the main character and can’t wait just to turn a page to find out what’s going to happen next. But don’t assume that curiosity is a feature only common to humans. Animals have it too. And if you don’t believe us, Whiskas Brasil’s latest story “The Most Curious Cat in the World” will probably convince you.
So, here’s what happened: a kitten, driven by curiosity, escaped from its carrier on a flight to London and got lost for 52 days. 960,000 km later (roughly 24 journeys around the globe), the kitty was found. Inspired by these catlike events, the brand took upon itself an author’s role and put pen to paper. With the help of São-Paulo-based agency AlmapBBDO, which happily joined the company’s new mission to feed cats’ curiosity, the brand came up with “The Curious Cat Book.”
The publication introduces the most curious cat in the world, Whatif, which travels the world to quench its thirst for curiosity. But the most interesting part isn’t the story. What’s even more amazing is to whom this volume is dedicated to. Believe it or not, the book is addressed to cats and invites them to ‘read’ and learn through play.
But how is this possible? Well, the publication contains about 20 images (or stories) and each features a toy or an interactive item with which the prying kitties can play with and, of course, discover more. With each page read, the cat gets one step closer to the other side of the world. For example, one story unfolds in Italy, where the kitty is greeted with a ‘bowl’ of pasta, whilst another page sends the kitten to Las Vegas, allowing it to ‘gamble’ by following a laser light.
The campaign isn’t just about feasting their paws but also enlightening the feline ears. Besides the book, the initiative includes audiobooks, with sounds meant to stimulate cats. Available on Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music, and Apple Music, the unusual audio experience was developed based on neurological studies, which state that some specific sounds can be found pleasing by cats. The book isn’t available at the moment, but you can get updates on the printed publication by following Whiskas’ Facebook account.
Speaking about the campaign, Roberto Valdrighi, Director of Marketing at Whiskas, said that it all started from the kitties’ feature to be inquisitive: “Cats are naturally curious animals, and we want to inspire caretakers to cultivate that in their pets whenever they’re spending time together. That’s why we created the first book in the world to be read alongside your cats. Besides the print book, we’re releasing The Most Curious Cat in the World as an audiobook to stimulate cats through specific sounds and have them interact with the story alongside their guardians.”
So what are you waiting for? Hit play on the audiobook and let your furry pal learn through sounds. It’s for the best if you to guide them while they learn… otherwise, who knows what might come into their minds? Better keep an eye on your pet so they won’t develop a new Catspiracy to explain why we find them so irresistible…
Credits:
Agency: AlmapBBDO
Client: Mars
Product: Whiskas