Nozhi po rublyu is Pyaterochka’s loyalty promotion. Customers receive stickers with their purchases, which can be exchanged for kitchen knives with a symbolic additional payment. The mechanics of the promotion were already well known to the audience, so the new season did not need another explanation. Instead, it needed an unexpected communication format. One of the activations was an animated film created for KARO cinemas.
Problem
A familiar promotional mechanic had to become noticeable again. At the same time, the communication had to work organically within a cinema environment, where audiences are already accustomed to a specific set of pre-show messages: switch off your phone, follow the rules, and do not bring sharp objects into the auditorium. The challenge was to embed the advertising message into this familiar ritual in a way that made the format itself part of the idea.
Solution
We decided to take the standard warning about sharp objects literally. We created an AI-generated film that begins like an ordinary cinema disclaimer. Its familiar infographic language and animation style raise no suspicion — until the warning about prohibited sharp objects turns into a message about one-ruble knives at Pyaterochka. Visually, the film deliberately mimics standard cinema service animation. Instead of creating a separate advertising world, we embedded the brand directly into an existing format and made the moment of substitution the central creative device. At first, the viewer is certain they are watching a mandatory pre-show warning. A few seconds later, it becomes clear that the disclaimer has already turned into an ad. The format itself therefore became part of the joke: a familiar element of the cinema ritual retained its visual language, but unexpectedly changed its meaning and led directly to the Nozhi po rublyu promotion.
Results
The film ran for two weeks in 14 KARO cinemas before films rated 12+, 16+ and 18+. During the placement period, it delivered 171,043 contacts against a projected 123,934. The actual result was 38% above plan.
