Making of ‘So Long, Fat Cats’

It began with a bold idea and a bigger question:

How can we call time on outdated business models and shine a light on a better way of doing business?

That was the provocation behind ‘So Long, Fat Cats’; a cinematic commentary brought to life by The Hallway and B Lab AANZ. With a shared belief in business as a force for good, they set out to challenge outdated corporate mindsets, not with a lecture, but with a laugh.

The brief was clear: create something striking that resonates with a wide audience. Something arresting. The budget? Less generous.

But tight budgets can breed big creativity. Enter: Paul Middleditch (one of Australia’s most respected directors), who came on board with a shared passion and hidden talent: Birdy, his real-life pet cat, who would go on to embody our not-so-beloved fat cat (Was it a rigorous casting process? No. Was it nepotism? Absolutely.)

          “We have to use what we have, as Abraham Lincoln said.”
                    — Paul Middleditch, Director

Shot in the opulent Sir Warwick Fairfax Room at Sydney’s Radisson Blu, the 60-second film used satire to draw a sharp contrast between the old world of greed and the values of Certified B Corporations: purpose, fairness and accountability. The campaign was always more than a TV commercial. From the beginning, the ambition was to spark conversation.

          “We really wanted to create another world. Wall Street kind of movie era.”
                    — Will Alexander, Heckler

The idea took off, naturally morphing into a broader campaign — Better Business. With generous support from the B Corp community, a media budget was co-funded to ensure this story is shared and the conversation continues, with the campaign spanning video, out of home, social and earned media. A single shoot turned into something much bigger, proving that a sharp idea beats a shiny budget.

The end result? A film to cut through the noise and start a meaningful conversation about how business can be done differently, and why that matters now more than ever.

No fancy CGI. No inflated production costs. Just a brave idea, a fearless team and a feline that got served breakfast twice.

          “He’s very food-motivated.”
                    — Sonia, Birdy’s Mum

And that’s how So Long, Fat Cats came to life. A small project with a big heart (and even bigger whiskers) that reminded us all: business as usual just isn’t good enough anymore.

From back-of-the-napkin scribbles to big-screen satire, this project was fuelled by a team who knew exactly what they were standing up for:

          Client: B Lab Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand
          Creative: The Hallway
          Production: Plaza Content
          Post Production: Heckler
          Paul Middleditch – Director
          Media: Benedictus Media