AUSTRALIA — Independent creative agency The Hallway has teamed up with B Lab Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand (B Lab AANZ) to launch a bold new campaign that takes aim at the outdated “profit at all costs” corporate mindset. Titled Better Business, the movement champions a new model of enterprise – one that balances profit with responsibility to people and the planet.
At the center of the campaign is So Long, Fat Cats, a cinematic television commercial directed by Paul Middleditch and produced by Plaza Films. The film introduces audiences to a literal oversized cat lounging smugly on a boardroom table – a pointed metaphor for unchecked greed, short-term thinking, and corporate excess. In contrast, the campaign highlights companies proving that business can be a force for good, including ethical banks, sustainable service providers, and purpose-driven consumer brands.
“The fat cat is a metaphorical symbol that resonates with people,” says Dan Saunders, Executive Creative Director at The Hallway. “It represents the old way of doing business – fat on profits, self-interested, and out of touch. We wanted to remind people there’s a smarter, fairer, and more sustainable way forward for businesses. That’s what B Corp represents. Saying goodbye to fat cats is more than a provocation, it’s an invitation to rethink what we reward in business.”
Funded by nearly 50 Certified B Corporations (B Corps) across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, the campaign is a powerful demonstration of collective action. B Corps are independently certified companies that meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Globally, the B Corp community now includes over 10,000 certified companies, among them Patagonia, Intrepid, Aesop, Australian Ethical, and Bank Australia.
Launched on 25 August 2025, the Better Business campaign runs across TV, social, outdoor, digital, and owned channels, with media strategy led by Benedictus Media.
Andrew Davies, CEO of B Lab AANZ, said “In a world facing climate crisis, social division, and economic instability, we need bold and purpose-driven leadership. The Better Business campaign challenges the status quo and calls on others to join and support the movement towards a more inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy.”
Director, Paul Middleditch says “What an amazing project to be involved in. The Hallway’s idea of using a fat cat as a metaphor in telling the B Corp story is inspired. Diving in hook, line and pet, it was a profoundly nuts experience. I’m so proud of the work and this message.”
A Certified B Corporation since 2021, The Hallway is no stranger to aligning creativity with positive impact. The agency has built a reputation for campaigns that fuse storytelling with behaviour change, having worked with major brands including BINGE, Suncorp Bank, Google, and ANZ.
The campaign underscores the agency’s ethos that brand-building and social good are not mutually exclusive but rather essential partners in reshaping the business landscape.
