Terrifying tail tale adapted to sell insurance

No rodents were harmed in the making of the ad above, but all rodents, including yours truly, are traumatised watching it.

'Three blind mice' is a terrifying tale of senseless violence against innocent rodents—rodents who were blind to begin with, mind you. It's a tale about severed tails, which for some reason you humans like to tell your children (at bedtime!), thus perpetuating the demonisation of Ad Nut's close—albeit less charismatic and less physically attractive—relatives and glorifying anti-rodent violence. 

At least New Zealand's Partners Life has taken the time in its rendition of the story to focus on the egregious consequences the farmer's wife's bloody bladework has for the titular trio.

Ad Nut admits that the story, as rendered by Special Group New Zealand and Flux Media, makes for a decent allegory to impress upon you humans the need for insurance to help pay the bills in case of serious injury. And the animation is pretty great, as is the framing device with the charming human narrator.

The agency has also had the good sense to air the spot only after 8 pm, when most young child people will have gone to bed. If only someone had shown as much consideration for Ad Nut.

The spot is part of the ‘Unhappily ever after’ campaign for Partners Life, which previously looked at the tale of a rotund, bald fellow named Humpty, who ends up with his yolky insides bleeding out grotesquely while the narrator drops an equally disturbing rhyme for "all the king's men".

Anyway, at least it's not only rodents being targeted. 

CREDITS

Client: Partners Life
Managing Director: Naomi Ballantyne
Chief Commercial Officer: Tony Arthur
Chief Marketing Officer: Kris Ballantyne
General Manager, Marketing: Tina Morgan
Sponsorships Manager: Mika Ballantyne
Marketing Specialist: Gerhard van Graan
Brand Co-ordinator: Sophie Broom

Agency: Special Group New Zealand
CCO/CEO: Tony Bradbourne
Executive Creative Director: Lisa Fedyszyn
Executive Creative Director: Jonathan McMahon
Art Director: Till Dittmers
Copywriter: Jack Gravatt
Head of Client Service: Storm Day
Senior Business Director: Nick O’Donnell
Senior Business Manager: Hannah Ross
Senior Producer: Jo Kelly
Producer: Nicole Scopes
Producer: Emma Cutfield
Strategy Director: Nick Salter

Animation Production House: Flux Media
Director: Laban Dickinson
General Manager: Joshua Forsman
Design: Kevin Howdeshell & Kristen Howdeshell
2D Animation: Shane Taylor
2D Animation: Shannon Fahey
2D Animation: Dave Butler
Production Company Live Action: The Hood & Co
Director Live action: James Rua
Producer Live action: Caren Freeman
Audio Production House: Franklin Road
MD: Jonathan Mihaljevich
Music Composition: Sidney Kennedy
Head of Music & Sound Design: Shane Taipari
Music & Sound Supervisor: James Gibb

Ad Nut is a surprisingly literate woodland creature that for unknown reasons has an unhealthy obsession with advertising. Ad Nut gathers ads from all over Asia and the world for your viewing pleasure, because Ad Nut loves you. You can also check out Ad Nut's Advertising Hall of Fame, or read about Ad Nut's strange obsession with 'murderous beasts'.