rafael martins
WORK
Freelace art director and graphic designer based in Melbourne, Australia.
SmartWaxCat VRBalter CervezaProject Roo - Lawreny DistilleryIn Their ShoesFYWDTTYDHide & SeekBrewlandThe Last DropsAustralian IPAProject Roo - HuskeeDona Vita - Brand IdentityGrabDrop - Brand IdentityChair AwardsBurtons - Brand Identity
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About
Cat VR
The world's first - and tinniest - virtual reality experience. For cats.
Background
In the age of ever-evolving technology, pet owners face a dilemma - how to keep their feline companions entertained indoors. Zoos Victoria identified an opportunity to leverage the fascination with virtual reality and capitalize on April Fool's Day to draw attention to the environmental issue of outdoor cat risks.
Idea
Enter "Cat VR" - an ingenious campaign introducing the world's first, and tiniest, virtual reality experience designed exclusively for cats. The concept played on the growing trend of VR technology while simultaneously acknowledging the absurdity of outfitting cats with miniature VR headsets.

The idea was to use April Fool's Day as the perfect guise for the playful hoax. By presenting Cat VR as a real product, Zoos Victoria aimed to trick and engage the audience, all while weaving in the crucial message of keeping cats indoors for their safety. The campaign cleverly balanced humor and environmental advocacy, challenging the conventional notions of how we entertain our pets.
Impact
The stunt generated a viral storm across social media platforms, with cat lovers and tech enthusiasts alike falling for the elaborate prank. The campaign's success was not just in the laughter it provoked but in the conversations it ignited.
"Here at Zoos, we strive to offer the best for all animals great and small. Cat VR represents an opportunity to finally bring felines into the digital age - or is it?"
— Ben Sanders, Senior Manager of Community Conservation at Zoos Victoria
Credits
Agency: McCann Melbourne

CCO: Patrick Baron
Creative Director: Andrew Woodhead
Creative Team: Rafael Martins, Guilherme Machado
Producers: Stephanie Rinaldi, Cinnamon Darvall
Accounts: Georgina Pownall, Kim Handley
Social Media Manager: Jim Coumans, Cameron Watson

Production company:  Lagoon Collective / Sydney
Music/Sound Production company: Gusto / Melbourne

Director of Photography: Edward Triglone
Photographer: Tim Swallow
rafael martins
freelance art director
+ graphic designer
about
Cat VR
The world's first - and tinniest - virtual reality experience. For cats.
Background
In the age of ever-evolving technology, pet owners face a dilemma - how to keep their feline companions entertained indoors. Zoos Victoria identified an opportunity to leverage the fascination with virtual reality and capitalize on April Fool's Day to draw attention to the environmental issue of outdoor cat risks.
Idea
Enter "Cat VR" - an ingenious campaign introducing the world's first, and tiniest, virtual reality experience designed exclusively for cats. The concept played on the growing trend of VR technology while simultaneously acknowledging the absurdity of outfitting cats with miniature VR headsets.

The idea was to use April Fool's Day as the perfect guise for the playful hoax. By presenting Cat VR as a real product, Zoos Victoria aimed to trick and engage the audience, all while weaving in the crucial message of keeping cats indoors for their safety. The campaign cleverly balanced humor and environmental advocacy, challenging the conventional notions of how we entertain our pets.
Impact
The stunt generated a viral storm across social media platforms, with cat lovers and tech enthusiasts alike falling for the elaborate prank. The campaign's success was not just in the laughter it provoked but in the conversations it ignited.
"Here at Zoos, we strive to offer the best for all animals great and small. Cat VR represents an opportunity to finally bring felines into the digital age - or is it?"
— Ben Sanders, Senior Manager of Community Conservation at Zoos Victoria