Azaguys' takes Jafta ‘To The Dogs’

According to deputy creative director Luigi Morrico, who together with executive creative director Ian Franks was responsible for the four executions in the print campaign, the majority of South Africans are more likely to support animal welfare programmes than those that take care of the country's senior citizens. As a result, Jafta is in dire need of financial support; lack of funds forced it to move out of its Johannesburg offices recently.

"Recognising the urgency of Jafta's situation we wanted a campaign that would shock people into contributing financially to their cause; we weren't particularly striving to be creative or clever – although it appears we have landed up being both," said Morrico.

"Jafta asked us to feature some of the people they care for in the campaign, not use models. This, and the fact that superb photographer Michael Meyervelt had offered his services free of charge, inspired us to feature graphic black and white images of an old man posed as a dog alongside attention-grabbing headlines. 'Does he have to roll over before you help him?' and 'Would it be better if he played dead?' are two executions from the campaign and are followed up with the tagline 'If he were a dog, a cat or even a budgie, most South Africans would sit up and pay attention' and Jafta's banking details."

Jafta is relying on the media to run the campaign as part of their pro bono and corporate social responsibility programmes. To date, The Citizen has published one of the executions but Morrico anticipates other media owners will show their support for the organisation.