Cats often have complex personalities that are hard for shelters to convey to potential adopters. In unfamiliar surroundings like a shelter, cats may appear scared, leading to adoption photos that don't reflect their true nature. To address this, ARM & HAMMER Cat Litter and its creative agency, Razorfish, built an AI tool to generate thumb-stopping cat portraits that capture people's attention and hearts while scrolling. The AI "Personality Pics" highlight the unique charm of each cat, making it easier for cat lovers to connect with them at a glance.
"Personality Pics uses AI to reveal the unique personalities of shelter cats in ways traditional photos can't," said Jamie Perruquet, SVP Executive Creative Director at Razorfish. "By conveying each cat's authentic character—whether it's playful, curious, feisty, or affectionate—this tool helps potential adopters connect more deeply, leading to better adoption matches. It's a powerful example of AI being used in a creative way for good and gives otherwise overlooked shelter cats a greater chance at finding their new families."
The ASPCA and ARM & HAMMER Cat Litter will be co-hosting their third virtual cat adoption event featuring several more Personality Pics on Wednesday, July 24, 2024 on Facebook and Instagram.
"We have so many wonderful cats in our New York City and Los Angeles foster and adoption programs waiting to find loving homes, but it can be difficult to grab people's attention on social media and effectively showcase the cats' wonderful personalities," said Christina Wyman, Vice President of Cause Partnerships at the ASPCA. "During our virtual adoption events, cat lovers appreciated the heartwarming characteristics of our cats displayed in their Personality Pics and prospective adopters were able to gain a sense of who the cats were prior to meeting them in person. This resulted in more visibility for a handsome cat named Torta, who was adopted in early July."
According to the ASPCA, approximately 3.2 million cats enter U.S. animal shelters and rescues nationwide yearly, but only 2.1 million cats are adopted each year. This is one reason ARM & HAMMER created its Feline Generous program, with initiatives throughout the year dedicated to helping shelter cats find loving homes, especially those that are overlooked due to age, appearance, or misunderstood personality. In addition to the work with the ASPCA, the ARM & HAMMER Feline Generous program will donate $50,000 to help shelter cats find loving homes.
"ARM & HAMMER Cat Litter is honored to have partnered with the ASPCA on our Feline Generous program since 2018, and more recently, to leverage AI to help elevate such a meaningful cause," said Carly Catalano, Associate Director, ARM & HAMMER™ Pet Care. "We're always looking for new ways to shed light on cat welfare organizations and help them find loving homes for their cats. Personality Pics make the process of creating adoption profiles easier for shelters and our hope is that it will help connect more cats with loving families even faster."
To see more AI-generated Personality Pics or for more information about adopting a cat through the ASPCA, please visit this page or aspca.org/adopt.
About ARM & HAMMER™
For more than 170 years, ARM & HAMMER™ Baking Soda's familiar orange box has been a trusted fixture in both the refrigerator and home. The brand was founded in 1846 when Dr. Austin Church and John Dwight began to produce and sell sodium bicarbonate under the ARM & HAMMER™ brand name. Today, Church & Dwight, Co., Inc. manufactures a variety of cleaning, freshening, and deodorizing products for the home, family, pets, and body under the iconic ARM & HAMMER™ brand name. To learn more follow us on Facebook.
About the ASPCA®
Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) was the first animal welfare organization to be established in North America and today serves as the nation's leading voice for vulnerable and victimized animals. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA assists animals in need through on-the-ground disaster adn cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary community through research, training, and resources. For more information, visit www.ASPCA.org, and follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, X, Instagram and TikTok.
SOURCE Church & Dwight Co., Inc.
Share this article