Working with Notorious Communications, CREATE at Pearl & Dean and sister agency DIVE, announce an exciting new partnership between market leading UK pet food brand Butcher’s Nourishing Food for Dogs and Curzon, the boutique cinema chain.
In a media first, Butcher’s will be the exclusive sponsor of Curzon Dog Day Afternoons, a series of weekly screenings for dog owners to bring their beloved canine companions with them.
Curzon is expanding its Dog Day Afternoons programme from four to six venues: Canterbury, Aldgate, Hoxton, Camden, Sheffield and Knutsford. Butcher’s Nourishing Food for Dogs – which is the first brand to ever sponsor these screenings – will offer complimentary dog treats and £5 vouchers to all dogs and owners.
Butcher’s whole strategic play across the campaign (which also includes investment across TV and YouTube) centres on the power of dogs to enrich the lives of people from all walks of life and the love that Butcher’s puts into its food for dogs to ‘Nourish Them Naturally’.
New co-branded creative, produced by DIVE will run at all 16 Curzon cinemas promoting Butcher’s collaboration with Curzon Dog Day Afternoons. The special dog-friendly screenings will take place weekly at the six venues, showing the latest movies with lowered sound, for the well-behaved dogs attending. Dogs are also welcome in the cinema bar and café before and after the screenings.
Clare Turner, UK Chief Commercial Officer at Pearl & Dean said: “We are always looking for exciting ways to bring brands closer to film and cinema audiences. Curzon’s Dog Day Afternoons is an exciting concept, and we knew that this was the ideal opportunity for a brand like Butcher’s to reach this highly targeted audience in an authentic way. By offering our canine friends a luxe cinema experience paired with a sample of some of their favourite Butcher’s treats, we’re confident that this will be an experience to remember for Curzon dog owners and their canine companions.”
Nik Wheatley, Co-Founder at Notorious, said: “Our whole campaign has been built around celebrating the power of well-nourished dogs to bring a whole lot of love and joy into our lives – so shared moments together have become a natural focal point. Dog parents are increasingly keen to have their canine companions join them for experiences beyond the daily walk and the Pearl & Dean team demonstrated just how well they understood that. Across all their teams they have worked incredibly hard to bring that extra level of richness to an already impactful video campaign and we are all so excited to see Butcher’s sponsorship of Dog Days come to life.”
Damian Spandley, Managing Director Programme & Sales at Curzon, said: “Like many dog-owners, I felt frustrated that I couldn’t get to the cinema as often as I would like because I couldn’t take my border terrier with me. So we launched dog-friendly screenings last year for customers who are passionate about both dogs and cinema, and I love them because I can take my dog to see the latest releases at my local Curzon. We are delighted to welcome Butcher’s as a sponsor, and their support for the program has allowed us to increase the ‘pawprint’ of Dog Days screenings into more Curzon venues.”
Natasha Bryant, Senior Brand Manager at Butcher’s, added: “This campaign marks a very important moment for Butcher’s after 3 years focussing on strengthening the value and repertoire of our food for dogs, giving owners more choice than ever to nourish modern lifestyles together. As part of this, it is really important for us to reach our customers in an authentic and engaging way, so we are very excited to be working with Curzon and Pearl & Dean on this very special partnership. Curzon Dog Day Afternoons is the perfect adventure for dog owners, giving them the opportunity to share one of their great passions, watching exciting films away in a luxe cinema environment, together with their four-legged friends.”
The partnership, brokered by Pearl & Dean and media agency Notorious Communications, begins on 3rd May, with the first Dog Day screenings on Sunday 19th May!
About Pearl & Dean
Pearl & Dean is the UK’s best-known cinema advertising contractor. Representing a wide range of cinemas, with multiplex chains offering landmark locations throughout the UK & Ireland including Showcase, Empire, Movie House, and Omniplex sites. Its iconic theme tune, Asteroid, evokes an instant aroma of popcorn and fun.
Pearl & Dean also represents the majority of the independent exhibition sector, with a portfolio of quality circuits such as Everyman, Scott Cinemas, Northern Morris and WTW Cinemas as well as independently operated cinemas, drive-in cinemas and outdoor experience cinemas like The Luna Cinema, each offering individuality and often a specialist audience.
Pearl & Dean’s cinemas offer a varied schedule of programming – from the latest blockbusters through to classic and art-house movies to alternative content such as live opera or concerts. All of this enables Pearl & Dean to offer advertisers precise targeting of either specific demographics or the population as a whole, in an environment where advertisers can showcase brands to a relaxed and captive audience.
About CREATE at Pearl & Dean
The CREATE team at Pearl & Dean is a collective of specialists set up to deliver end-to-end solutions for advertisers wanting to align with quality film and cinema experiences. Utilising effective content, strategic partnerships and immersive experiences, CREATE aim to amplify and elevate traditional advertising campaigns to maximise their return on investment.
The specialist teams within CREATE include:
Pearl & Dean Productions: Specialising in bespoke creative for cinema advertising and ad-funded content.
Pearl & Dean Strategic Solutions: Working with agencies and clients to develop the ideal framework and media plans to maximise delivery on their objectives.
Pearl & Dean Partnerships: Bringing brands together with rightsholders within the Pearl & Dean portfolio to create meaningful sponsorships & promotions.
Pearl & Dean Film Partnerships: Bringing studios and brands together for mutually beneficial marketing campaigns and product placement.
DIVE: Pearl & Dean’s sister experience agency, creating culturally relevant brand partnerships, campaigns and productions.
About DIVE
DIVE is an experience agency that creates culturally relevant brand partnerships, campaigns, and productions. At DIVE we take free time seriously – it’s when we feel most ourselves. We collaborate with brands to create memorable moments that make sure our free time is always a good time.
DIVE works with clients and partners across the spectrum of entertainment — including consumer brands, film studios & distributors, broadcasters, cinemas, festivals, and cultural institutions.
About Butcher’s Nourishing Food for Dogs
Butcher’s Pet Care has been making naturally nourishing food for dogs for over 30 years. Proudly sourcing its meat from British and Irish farms. Butcher’s created the first ever grain-free food for dogs in 1987 and continues to lead the market to this day.
Butcher’s believe that every dog deserves naturally, nourishing food every day. So they created a wholesome, British-made bowlful, to nourish them like they nourish us.
About Curzon
Curzon is a multifaceted film company covering exhibition, distribution, production and on-demand streaming. The company currently operates 16 cinemas across the UK exemplified by flagship venues Curzon Mayfair, Curzon Soho and Curzon Bloomsbury. The distribution business has over 40 years of experience in independent film, boasting a library of over 400 critically acclaimed films by the world’s greatest directors including Wim Wenders, Michael Haneke, Béla Tar and recently Alice Rohrwacher and Ruben Östlund. Streaming service Curzon Home Cinema pioneered day-and-date releasing and is available to customers through TV, mobile apps and over-the-top platforms, with a reach of 6.5 million homes.
Curzon is part of the Cohen Media Group which produces and distributes independent, foreign language and arthouse films in North America. It owns Landmark Theatres, America’s largest specialised theatre chain dedicated to independent cinema with 252 screens in 27 markets.
About Notorious Communications
Notorious, positioned as ‘the fame agency’ launched in 2019 with a mandate to deliver hard hitting inventive work for challenger brands in any given category. The team mission is to establish a reputation as the UK’s most exciting media agency; clever creators of surprising work, centred on the agency’s philosophy of supporting ambitious brands, unafraid to go bold.
Notorious are led and majority owned by Co-Founders Nik Wheatley and Jessica Scott.
Key clients include Butcher’s Pet Care, Crown Paints, Liberty London, Coventry Building Society, River Island, Clogau and Chester Zoo.