A city promotion campaign that literally took flight
(production and co-direction: Peter Fik / Przemysław Fik)
In 2010, I had the unique opportunity to co-create — as producer and co-director — one of the most unconventional and ambitious city campaigns ever realized in Poland. The objective: to show Krakow from a completely new perspective. The idea? Give the camera… to pigeons. Not as a metaphor. Not through CGI or drone simulation. But in the most literal, bold, and authentic way possible.
Our mission was simple, yet wildly ambitious: let real pigeons — Krakow’s most iconic inhabitants — become filmmakers and show the city from their point of view, mid-flight, using custom-mounted miniature cameras. No tricks. No postproduction simulations. Just real birds, real routes, real Krakow.
From concept to innovation – breaking all the rules
The idea was born at TBWA and was based on their Media Arts philosophy — a belief in building engagement through unexpected, emotionally resonant experiences. It was clear from the start that this campaign would break all conventional production models.
The creative team, led by Peter Fik (Przemysław Fik), took on the unusual challenge: how to turn a pigeon into a cinematographer? How to let a wild bird film a city without harming it or disrupting its natural instincts?
We began with selecting the right “actors” — experienced homing pigeons that had completed distances of up to 4,000 km in competitions. A 15-kilometer flight across the city was nothing but a warm-up for them.
Miniature revolution – the indestructible camera
The next challenge was technical. We tested over 20 miniature video cameras from around the world. The requirements were extreme:
• weight under 20 grams,
• shockproof, waterproof, fog-resistant, temperature-resistant,
• high image quality,
• automatic fail-safe storage in case of battery drain,
• stable output even if the camera was damaged mid-flight.
Most models failed — they glitched, crashed, broke apart on impact, or shut down in rain or cold. After months of testing (and destroying cameras), we found the one: an 18-gram device, smaller than a matchbox, capable of recording 30 minutes in high resolution and surviving hammer blows — literally.
NASA-level harness design – with full concern for animal safety
Creating a safe and functional harness was just as critical. We worked closely with pigeon breeders and veterinary experts, iterating through dozens of prototypes. The final design had to meet strict criteria:
• elastic and breathable straps that didn’t restrict movement or breathing,
• custom sizing for each bird,
• complete freedom of wing and leg motion,
• firm camera stability without shifting during flight,
• easy-to-attach and remove, without stressing the animal.
Each prototype was tested for weeks — first with dummy weights, then with real flight drills. The birds trained in open spaces and got used to wearing the harnesses. Only after receiving approval from the Chief Veterinary Officer could we begin actual filming.
Real flight. Real footage. Real Krakow.
Our pigeons launched from five locations across Krakow and instinctively navigated back to their lofts — selecting their own routes. As they flew, they filmed the city from above: rooftops, cafes, parks, streets, rivers, and people. Sometimes they paused on trees or chimneys before taking off again. The footage they captured was dynamic, shaky, full of movement — just like a bird in motion.
Unlike footage from drones or gliding birds of prey (e.g., hawks), our pigeons flapped their wings actively. Their flight was filled with energy, and the footage vibrated with authenticity. It couldn’t be faked — and we didn’t even try.
The result: 20 authentic films, a national campaign, and awards
After 10 days of shooting (adjusting for unpredictable weather), we completed 20 one-minute films, all available on the official city portal: www.krakow.travel. Each film was accompanied by a custom map of the pigeon’s flight route and cultural information about the sites it passed. The campaign also included:
• billboard placements in six major Polish cities,
• a social media campaign (including a pigeon “celebrity” profile),
• national TV coverage, including live interviews,
• a theatrical spot titled IKAR, directed by renowned actor Jerzy Stuhr,
• interactive maps and media on the official website.
Sound design was carefully tailored: some films featured specially composed music (e.g., romantic melodies for Krakow’s hills, industrial tones for Nowa Huta), while others preserved the raw audio — wing flaps, wind, city sounds, laughter, car horns.
One pigeon was so inspired by his new career that he symbolically applied to the Polish National Film School in Łódź.
Recognition
The campaign received widespread acclaim and was honored with several major awards, including:
• Kreatura Grand Prize (2011) – for originality, production quality, and innovative storytelling,
• GOLD FORMATS – First Prize in the category Advertising Campaign – for “Pigeons Shoot Krakow”,
• MEDIA TRENDY (2011) – in the category Bravery in Media Planning, recognizing the bold use of real pigeons and alternative technology in urban promotion,
• KTR Awards (2011) – Bronze in the category Integrated Campaign, and Gold in the category Marketing of a Place – for production excellence and originality in place branding.
These accolades reflect not only the project’s imaginative concept, but also the precision and care with which it was executed — balancing technological experimentation, storytelling, and animal ethics.
