In July 2014, the Simon’s Cat campaign on Indieogo smashed UK crowdfunding records by successfully raising more than £284,000 / $478,000 to produce their first ever broadcast-length colour film. Over 9000 supporters contributed amounts ranging between £1 and £2000 towards the production budget of ‘Off to the Vet’ – the most ambitious Simon’s Cat animated film ever. In exchange for their donations, supporters are offered early viewing of the finished film as well as numerous physical rewards which included limited edition books, artwork and merchandise. A select number of funders will even be rewarded by having their pet drawn by Simon Tofield, the creator of Simon’s Cat.
Simon Tofield, the Creator of Simon’s Cat, said: “I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone for supporting ‘Off to the Vet’. I can’t wait to bring to life all the vet-related gags I’ve saved up in my sketchbooks. A trip to the vet is one of the most requested scenarios from our fans and I have a real treat lined up for them!”
Emma Burch, Crowdfunding Campaign Manager for Simon’s Cat, added: “We are absolutely stunned and delighted by the level of support we have received. It has taken us many months of detailed planning and long hours to get to our goal. Crowdfunding is not as simple as holding out a hat. We had to ensure in advance that we could deliver on everything we promised, and all within a strict budget and timeline. Fortunately we have a talented team with the breadth of experience to make the film and associated top-quality perks a reality. And of course none of this would be possible without the kindness of our fans. We plan to thank them by making sure that ‘Off to the Vet’ is the best film we can possibly make.”
Mike Cook - Brand Manager for Simon’s Cat, commeted: “To support the campaign we have assembled the strongest selection of exclusive Simon’s Cat goodies we have ever had. The fans are going to be blown-away when they see the final film and start receiving their rewards! We have special edition books, limited edition plush toys, T-shirts, vinyl decals, art prints, collectable cards and once in a lifetime rewards like the opportunity to appear in animation, drawn by the Simon’s Cat animators!!”
The Simon’s Cat’s campaign has exceeded all other UK film crowdfunding campaigns including the £110,648 / $186,182 raised by Aardman for the ‘All New Adventures of Morph’ and the £151,880 / $255,564 that Sean Bean, Rupert Grint and Charles Dance which raised towards ‘Enemy of Man’.
Anastasia Emmanuel, UK Marketing & Community Manager for Indiegogo: “Huge congratulations to the Simon’s Cat team! We’re so proud at Indieogo to have helped them break the record for the most crowdfunded UK film ever! Simons cat is a great example of a well-run campaign, the team were engaged, responsive and creative the entire way through. This truly shows the possibilities for animators, filmmakers, and creators to raise funds through the crowd. Indiegogo helps put the power back into the hands of the creatives to fund what matters to them, and their community. To see passionate and hard-working people reach and exceed their goals on Indiegogo is always a pleasure. Onwards and upwards for Simon’s Cat!
