Following the success of last week’s Sheba’s kitten on our readership figures, we have been implored to give more and, as if by magic, this week Pets at Home is relaunching its brand to celebrate Brits and their pets.
At the heart of the campaign is a new study that reveals the unconditional love people have for their furry, feathery or scaly friends, based on an in-depth analysis of pet ownership, with insights used to inspire and inform the creative.
Devised by The & Partnership and Nomad, “We’re all for pets” aims to position Pets at Home as the pet care provider that makes life better for pets and the people who love them.
The campaign film is soundtracked by Meatloaf’s I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That) and celebrates the lengths people go to for their pets. From showing an owner getting a tattoo of his ferret and waiting for a dog to do its business in a storm to serving up what a gourmet meal for a cat and putting up with a dog breaking wind on the sofa it is full of moments that every pet owner can relate to.
The integrated campaign includes TV, cinema, broadcaster video on demand, press, radio, social, digital and outdoor.
There are also plans for the activity to be rolled out across all of the retailer’s pet care centres, including more than 450 Pets at Home stores, over 350 grooming salons, and almost 500 veterinary surgeries and practices.
Pets at Home chief consumer officer Kathryn Imrie said: “Our purpose as a business is to make the world better for pets and the people who love them, and our new brand expression helps us to demonstrate the breadth of services we offer to do just this.
“We’re trusted by more Brits than anyone else when it comes to taking care of their pets and that’s because we share that love and passion that owners have. Our launch campaign is based on real insight and celebrates all of the amazing things we do for our beloved companions, and we’re extremely excited to see it come to life.”
Nomad creative director Ash Watkins added: “Our objective was simple. One: Create a system that unites a world of beloved, yet disparate pet care brands under a single visual identity. Two: Bring it to life with a unified brand experience that encapsulates the sheer joy that pets bring to our lives. From the weekly food shop, through to surgical care; the new Pets at Home is ready to help customers be their best on every step of the pet owner journey.”
Even The & Partnership’s executive creative director Toby Allen has chipped in. He said: “This a rock opera power ballad to the true loves of our lives – our pets. A big and bold campaign for a brand with a big heart and big ambitions.”
So, what is the consensus around the Decision Marketing office?
Well, to be fair, this campaign is very much in the same vein as last week’s Sheba ad, showing the lengths some people will go to for their animals and again it strikes the right balance of soppiness and humour – the fart ending is particularly fitting.
But would it get us rushing off to Pets at Home to buy treats for the now notorious Decision Marketing moggy “Lyla”? Forget it, we’re not quite as smitten as this lot of soppy sods…
Decision Marketing Adometer: A ‘barking’ 8 out of 10
