The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International announced that after 70 years, they would be rebranding to Humane World for Animals. Groove Jones collaborated with FlyteVu to produce a striking video to launch the new name and campaign. The guerrilla-style, immersive faux OOH campaign blended reality with cutting-edge CGI. The goal? To create a dynamic video featuring a Bengal tiger’s paw tearing through a teaser billboard with the numbers 2.14.25, revealing the new campaign video and a new name.
A Powerful Visual Narrative
At first, the billboard in the video simply displays a date: 2.14.25—marking the day the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International officially became Humane World for Animals. Suddenly, a Bengal tiger’s paw rips through the surface, revealing the organization’s new name.
As pieces of the billboard fall away, the moment draws attention to the transformation, creating a visually striking way to introduce the updated identity.
From Cruelty to Compassion
After the faux OOH billboard moment and the new name is revealed, it transitions into the new commercial aimed to highlight Humane World for Animals’ commitment to creating lasting change for animals everywhere. The video was created by Nexus Studios in partnership with FlyteVu.
The campaign includes music by musical artist Sia, who covers Peter Gabriel’s song ‘Solsbury Hill.’ All of Sia’s proceeds of the song go directly to the Humane World for Animals.
Videos of the Experience
We created multiple formats of the video for various social platforms. Creating different cuts also helps in the acceptance that the video is not a single campaign, but could be something more organic.
Blending Reality with CGI for Maximum Impact
Groove Jones executed this vision with masterful CGI integration, seamlessly merging animation with a practical billboard setup. Every detail, from the texture of the torn billboard to the fluid movement of the tiger’s paw, was meticulously designed to feel as real as possible. The production process included:
- 3D CGI Animation – A hyper-realistic tiger claw tearing through the billboard, timed to reveal the new name.
- Sound Design & Effects – A custom mix of ambient sounds, immersive tearing effects, and an evolving soundtrack that shifts from tension to triumph.
- Storytelling – A high-resolution, social-first edit that captivates Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok viewers.
The experience was launched on Humane World for Animals’ social platforms on February 14, 2024.
Behind the Scenes
The Groove Jones team used several different techniques to research and test the claw and tearing effect. Here are examples of different materials for the mural as well as different claw elements to teal the material. We recorded these tests to experiment what the animation should look like.
The team also spent time researching the anatomy of a tiger’s claw and how the mechanics of the bone and claw work.
Designed to be both visually stunning and emotionally compelling, this campaign embodies the power of digital storytelling. By leveraging CGI and real-world visuals, Groove Jones and FlyteVu transformed a simple billboard into a moment of revelation—one that draws viewers in and leaves them with a lasting impression of the Humane World for Animals’ mission, to tackle the root causes of animal cruelty and suffering to create permanent change.
