This is a cleverly constructed, award-winning commercial aired for EDS. Cowboys herding cats is a tongue-in-cheek take on the time-honored tradition of the cowboys of the great American prairies.
These unsung heroes of the west faced challenging conditions over unforgiving terrain to bring their cattle in. But according to this entertaining video, cat-herding is, in fact, the most difficult job in the world.
The video is opened by an earnest young man telling of his proud heritage as a cat herder, passed down through the generations since his great-grandpa. Followed by full-on action with a posse of dedicated cat-wranglers herding 10,000 half-wild short-hairs through rough country.
“You can lead a cat to water…”
Sitting around their overnight camp-fire, the guys tell their tales of adversity and heroism. While they gently stroke their cats, they describe the injuries and risks they endure daily. Some have scratches while others are forced to brush down their jackets with pet hair rollers. Then there is the grueling task of rolling up yarn, ready for the tough day ahead.
But there are rewards to be had. As one catboy attested, “It’s not an easy job, but when
you bring a herd into town and you haven’t lost even one of them, there isn’t a feeling like it in the world.”
The amusing video ends with EDS proclaiming they are managing the complexities of a digital economy by bringing together information, ideas and technologies. Though, one does wonder how they have made the connection, bridging cat-herding with technology.
