When the world's cutest bunnies snuggle up in an Ibis hotel bed...

For whatever reason, cute animals are in vogue in travel advertising this year: Shetland ponies in cardigans, goat prancing on a horse, and now this. A new ad from European economy hotel chain Ibis is trying to top the cuteness meter, with the fluffiest sleepiest bunnies you'll ever see. And there is a reason behind it: to highlight the comfort of its "Sweet Bed by Ibis" that it rolled out last year in it hotels.

And it came up with a minute plus of 30 bunnies rolling and tumbling around in a Ibis London Blackfriars hotel room, ultimately ending up sleeping in the bed.

"Bunnies snuggle up to each other and find cosy places to sleep. And what better evidence of the ultimate comfort of the "Sweet Bed by ibis" than for the bunnies to seek out and sleep there on their own,” said Neil Dawson executive creative director of BETC London.

The ad film was dreamed up by UK creative agency BETC London and shot by Independent Films over two days in that Ibis room.

The soundtrack is a contemporary cover of "Hushabye Mountain" by Richard Hawley, from the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Behind-the-scenes video, also uploaded to YouTube, takes away from a bit of the magic of the spot, but gives a good overview from a production POV anyway. Looks tiring running after the bunnies, enough to look forward to a good hotel bed.

Behind the scenes of "ibis Snuggling Bunnies" ad:

Credits:

Client: Ibis Hotels
Marketing & Distribution Director, Accor (UK & Ireland): Karelle Lamouche
Marketing Manager, ibis, ibis Styles, ibis Budget at Accor (UK & Ireland): Lisa Belloni

Agency: BETC London
Executive Creative Director: Neil Dawson
Copywriter: Clive Pickering
Art Director: Ciara O’Meara
Producer: Olly Chapman
Strategy: Andrew Stirk
Account Director: Zoe Hinckley

Production Company: Independent
Director: Ornette Spenceley
Exec Producer: Matt Minor
Producer : Charlie Stanfield
Director of Photography: Niels Reedtz Johansen

Music : Hushabye Mountain by Richard Hawley