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MAA Ad of the Week: Prime Video makes a hyena smile

More anthropomorphic creatures (albeit at a distance): a friendly Christmas hyena from Amazon’s Prime Video and agency CYW (a new one on us but they clearly know what they’re doing.) Well quite friendly, anyway.

It’s Amazon’s first pan-European Christmas ad, more evidence that the warehouse and delivery gang can turn their hand to pretty much anything, including old-style traditional advertising. Is there a message there?

A zookeeper meets a surprise friend, brought together by farmer Clarkson, no less.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpMsQLkfUYU

Prime Video Europe marketing director Helen Cowley says: “For our first Christmas advert for Prime Video here in Europe, we wanted to show that great TV shows and movies bring people and, occasionally, animals together.

“Hattie the hyena is sure to capture the imagination of all who encounter her. We know animals can play a special role in bringing smiles to many faces and are delighted to be donating to UK charity Pets As Therapy in recognition of the incredible work they do to connect people and animals over Christmas and all year round.”

Directed by Chris Balmond for Blur with CGI (faultless) from The Mill. Nat King Cole’s ‘Smile’ covered by Joy Crookes.

It’s a recurring theme, of course, but, as with the CGI, pretty much faultless. With a nice hint of jeopardy, as you’d expect from a hyena.

2 Comments

  1. This advert is a poor example to children viewers as it is misleading them into a false sense of security when dealing with animals and more specifically dogs.

    Children may think that steeling a dogs foods is a funny thing to do and when the dog reacts as one may expect with a growl, they may well then expect the dog to relax in the way the hienna treats this as fun in the advert.

    In view of the recent death by dog attack of a young boy recently I feel this is not only dangerously misleading for children but also in bad taste.

  2. I hated this advertisement from the first time I saw it. I find the hyena quite worrying and don’t like the way it turns wild at times. A very bad choice for a TV ad, especially at this time of year.

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