A cat in a wetsuit? Moonsail’s Surf CAT campaign promotes new PTA beach bus service
A new, free bus service to one of Western Australia’s most iconic beaches was launching on the eve of the West Aussie summer. In addition to a brand-new bus livery to match the surf culture of Scarborough, the Public Transport Authority tasked Moonsail with generating excitement around the “Surf CAT.”
“The idea is in the name really,” said Matt Nankivell, ECD at Moonsail. “We knew we had to capture attention, so the approach needed to turn heads. This helped guide a clear artistic direction that brought together a host of craft specialities to ‘actually make the Surf CAT concept a reality, rather than leaning into AI.'”
With this in mind, the first step became obvious; find an actual Surf Cat. The cat needed to be comfortable around cameras, sand, costumes and water – things cats famously aren’t fans of. But for Oakley, a ragdoll from Incredible Creatures, it was all a normal day at the office. Oakley is a rescue cat that lives on a farm with its owner, Nigel Spencer, and was the perfect face for the campaign.
Next, the wetsuit. Costume designer Nic Ferraro went through countless measurements, drafts and mock-ups before finalising the design. “In nearly 20 years in fashion and costume, creating a cat wetsuit was a first for me. Costume maker Henri and I had quite the challenge on our hands designing such a small, highly specialised custom piece; however, Oakley was an absolute dream to work with through multiple sample fittings and on shoot day.”
Mauro Palmieri leant on his extensive experience in fashion and advertising photography when it came to the shoot itself. “The subject was somewhat less conventional than usual, but the instincts were the same. Once you commit to treating it properly, even a cat in a wetsuit starts to feel like a serious brief,” he said.
The resulting artwork and campaign could very well be a world first. “I can’t think of any other public transport provider that would go this far to advertise a new bus service,” says Sophie Oliver, Customer Communications Manager at the Public Transport Authority. “We’ve really enjoyed the community response to the work, and we couldn’t be happier to have Oakley as the face of such a fun campaign.”
Credits
Agency: Moonsail
Creative Director: Matthew Nankivell
Copywriter: Joseph Wilkie
Art Director: Paul Michael Liam Donnelly
Account Management: Samantha Hassall, Alexis Gan
Digital: Bradley Scott, Anu Udras
Social Media: Esteban Barbosa, Janelle Sim
Client: Public Transport Authority
Manager Customer Communications: Sophie Oliver
Marketing and Communications Manager: Bec Mungavin
Marketing and Communications Officer: Kate Violante
Social Media & Digital Campaign Officer: Sameera Afzaal
Executive Director Customer Strategy and Communications: Charlotte Hayes
Production: Sundeck & Suppliers
Producer: Belinda de Corti
Photographer: Mauro Palmieri
Photographer’s Assistant: Amra Bellatalla
Costume Designer: Nicole Ferraro
Costume Maker: Henrietta Grochowski
Videographer: Mason Truong
Talent: Oakley the Cat
Animal Wrangler: Nigel Spencer from Incredible Creatures
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