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Here's the Best Reason Yet to Put Cats on Every Ad Space in This London Tube Station

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Hundreds of years from now, a new bionic race of human beings will look back on this moment—among other vestiges of our time—and conclude we all shared a god after all. (It's happened before.)

Remember Glimpse, the socially conscious agency that wants to fill a London subway station with nothing but billboards of cats? With just three days left on their Kickstarter campaign, they've found a way to sweeten the deal.

Battersea, the animal rescue center and one of the U.K.'s biggest charities, has agreed to partner with Glimpse to put stray cats on the posters—so, in addition to thinking fewer ad-cluttered thoughts on their commute, Londoners may actually be able to take a furry friend home with them. 

But that's not all. The agency could still use help getting this off the ground. 

"We're heading into the final few days of this campaign, and we're short," says James Turner, Glimpse's founder. "We'd like to make a personal appeal to any agency, creative director or senior executive to back us with a major pledge. We won't be able to publicize your involvement, but you can crow about it all you like. If you think that this project is a sign of where things are headed, then show your courage and back us." 

Speaking of publicity, loyal followers of this effort may have noticed that the latest mockups feel less splashy than the originals. That's because, after receiving user feedback, Glimpse agreed to remove its deliciously catty Citizens Advertising Takeover Service (C.A.T.S.) logo. 

While we understand the aversion, the final result feels a bit more Orphan Annie, shot by Anne Geddes. It also isn't immediately clear how people will make the connection to Battersea—without inevitably having to mock up an explainer ad. 

So far, Glimpse has raised £12,160 (about $17,487), a hair over half of its £23,000 objective. If the project makes its goal, cats from Battersea's Dogs & Cats Home in South London will be cast for starring roles. 

"We're thrilled that Battersea cats will be the stars in the final posters. We care for over 3,000 cats a year, with one in three of them arriving as strays, so hopefully this campaign will encourage lots more people to consider rehoming our fantastic felines," says Battersea's Lindsey Quinlan, who bears the ticklish title Head of Catteries (even on LinkedIn!).

"We all know that the best things in life are free, but the adverts around us don't tell that story," Turner adds. "CatsNotAds.com is an attempt to claw back some sanity from the onslaught of product ads on the tube."

There you have it—a sincere and heartfelt appeal. Which agency wants to be the first to come up to bat? We have peace of mind to save, and future generations to befuddle.


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