Foundry tests new Sennheiser soundbar on wild animals

After taking over the Sennheiser Ambeo soundbar account from Anomaly, Foundry Zurich, Berlin & New York dived into the hi-fi audio world to search for the best testimonials for the best soundbars in the world. The result of this work was awarded gold at the Edi.22 even before the campaign started (Advertisingweek.ch reported).

The idea was provided by the family cat

Working closely together, the Sennheiser brand and the Foundry team developed a strategic direction and an idea: "Our family cat Louis is very talkative. And he proves his incredible listening skills to us every day. Try opening the treat cabinet as quietly as you can and you'll understand what I mean. We wondered: how would other animals react to real omnidirectional sound? Would they find it as realistic as their reality?" says Sacha Moser, Foundry Founder and Creative Partner.

So the idea was born to test the listening experience in the most original, authentic and genuine way possible. The question was where to find the best testimonials - the real experts. Together with the Swiss production company Mygosh and documentary filmmaker Viviane Blumenschein, the answer was found in South Africa. Because: Wild animals depend on their hearing to survive. Directional hearing is essential for them when it comes to life and death. Millions of years of evolution have not only made them true experts in hearing - they are also incorruptibly honest when it comes to attesting to a hearing experience. That made them the best judges for the team. At a wildlife sanctuary, the team built a recording studio designed specifically for wildlife. The experiment was accompanied by an audiologist, an animal expert from the sanctuary, an animal welfare inspector and an expert in animal communication.

Everyone worked together to ensure that each animal (expert) was treated species-appropriately and with respect. The captivating sound experience was intended to gently stimulate the animals' senses and have a positive effect.

The reactions: wild

"You can't write a script for animal behavior. So completely restrained responses, or no responses at all, were absolutely possible. But once the music kicked in, the results were pretty 'wild' to say the least," said Mygosh's Lamar Hawkins. "From the first test, we were impressed. Each animal responded differently to the sound environment, as you can see in the spots. This gave us an exciting insight into their personalities. We had a virtuoso baboon, an audiophile owl, an epicurean cheetah, and a very perceptive fox," reports Sacha Moser.

Praise from the Edi jury

The Edi jury writes: "The film shows in a surprising way how true to nature the sounds of a soundbar can be transmitted. This goes so far that wild animals think they have heard their own kind. The soundbar manages to catapult the listener into the middle of the scenery. This kind of storytelling captivates the audience from beginning to end."

Responsible at Sennheiser Sonova: Jessika Petrusch (Global Head of Content and Campaign), Virginie de Beco (Director Global Marketing), Stefanie Reichert (Global Head of Marketing Execution), Maximillian Voigt (Global Product Manager), Paul Hughes (Global Head of PR and Influencers). Responsible at Foundry: Strategy & Account Lead: Alexander Brown; Chief Creative: Sacha Moser; Creative Direction: Lilli Kahana, Pascal Baumann; Art Direction: Fieke Clinckemalie; Design & Production: Gregor Wollenweber; Copywriter: Lilli Kahana, Nitin George. Partner: Production Company: Mygosh.co; Director: Viviane Blumenschein; Photographer: Naudé Heunis; EPS: Lamar Hawkins; Producer: Ulrich Kirchner; Sound Engineer: Helmut Scherz; Dolby-Atmos Mix: Studio Funk, André König.