Spinal Tap is one of my favourite movies of all time. Me and my brother hold viewings at least twice a year where we spend practically the entire duration of the film matching the characters quote for quote, and even after more than 15 years it's lost none of its charm. For me, however, Christopher Guest has never been able to come close to that early achievement, though I will admit to having enjoyed A Mighty Wind more than most fans. His latest project, however, is perhaps one of his most entertaining in years and it just so happens to be series of commercials. Of course, the lion's share of my enjoyment derives from the fact they involve something I am personally very passionate about; pets.
Christopher Guest has teamed up with a variety of Hollywood stars such as Anna Faris and Stifler's Mom herself Jennifer Coolidge, to film a series of spots for PetSmart
Guest has teamed up with a variety of Hollywood stars such as Anna Faris and Stifler's Mom herself Jennifer Coolidge, to film a series of spots for PetSmart, which compare the trials of “Pethood” to the trials of parenthood. The campaign, which was produced by GSD&M, was launched during last night's Academy Awards broadcast (anyone else agree Boyhood was robbed by the way?), and focuses on subtly funny, relatable stories highlighting over-protective pet owners and the general ridiculousness therein. The spots harken back to Guest's under-looked 2000 comedy “Best In Show,” which spoofed the highly competitive world of dog shows. The spots also mark the first serious work for the brand by the Austin, Texas-based GSD&M, which took the account in October last year from the brand who had, until that point, largely done their creative work in-house. GolinHarris handled public relations and social media for the push, OMD was the media firm and iCrossing worked on the search components.
PetSmart – Partners in Pethood – Stanley Is Five
Alongside the main TV spots, there are five 2-minute online mini-films, which run the gamut between genuinely funny and cringe-worthy (though mercifully more the former than the latter), and they will be backed up by a fully-integrated campaign carried through print, digital and social media. This side of the campaign includes family-portrait-style images of real PetSmart consumers and employees with their pets that will be shared on all channels, as well as print ads. One particular ad that really caught my attention will run in People and Entertainment Weekly, and feature the brand's mission statement printed on a (there's no delicate way of saying this) dog poo bag. Edited 30-second cuts of the videos ran during the award show last night, and will continue to do so throughout the spring. The budget for this epic marketing push hasn't been revealed, but Phil Bowman, executive vice president of customer experience at PetSmart, did reveal that the spend is in line with previous years. Considering the brand spent nearly $105 million on US measured-media in 2013, that's quite a prospective budget!
The campaign, which was produced by GSD&M, was launched during last night's Academy Awards broadcast
Jay Russell, chief creative officer at GSD&M, said “Most people treat their pets like kids,” and that as soon as they had that insight “It really was as simple as: What do you do with your kids? Alright, let's take the kid out and put a pet in there.” Bringing Guest on board was then an obvious move as “There are very few people who do authentic humour in a cooler way than Christopher Guest.” Bowman said the premise behind the “Partners in Pethood” campaign is a simple one; that “Parents of pets are a lot like parents of children and they love their pets as much as parents love their kids.” He adds that the experiences in the spots “Are told through different types of pet parents, from the new and overprotective pet parents to the helicopter and pack pet parents,” believing that “They might be a little eccentric, but they’re definitely entertaining and endearing.”
PerSmart – Partners in Pethood – Smoochie & Alamoochie
David Lenhardt, PetSmart president and CEO, adds that the campaign “Is based on the fact that just like with kids, pet parents want the best for their pets,” and that these pet parents “Don’t always know what they should be doing.” As their “Partners in Pethood,” he hopes the brand can help them through all that. PetSmart, he says is “Every pet parent’s partner,” and is there to “Share in the joy, here to help them find solutions and, ultimately, here to have fun with them during their journey through pethood.” Personally I couldn't agree more, but then I've always been more of a pet person than a “kid person.”
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer, musician and dog person from Kidderminster in the UK.
