In 1989, Felix Cat Food had just a 6% share of the cat food market. Ten years later, the company was Britain's biggest selling competitor on the market. What could have accounted for this phenomenal change in fortunes? To avoid being delisted by supermarkets, the owners of the brand were pushed into advertising to create awareness. The result was an animated black and white cat, created by Boase Massimi Pollitt.
Keeping the beleaguered owner's faces out of frame placed Felix the cat at the centre of the campaign, while the mischievous, recognisable scenarios appeal to viewers as they may bring to mind pleasing associations with viewers' own pets. Making the character's movements as close to those of his real life counterparts as possible, rather than making him cartoonish or anthropomorphic, also helps strengthen the appeal to cat lovers.
More than 20 years later, Felix still uses the same character, same style and same simple, effective and time tested formula of a cheeky cat's unstoppable attempts to get his food. This clearly demonstrates that some things are best not tampered with.
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