Cat-vertising: 5 purr-fect cat ads that will leave you feline fine

One thing this nation loves is cats! Some people’s lives revolve around providing TLC for their furry feline friends. For others, the love extends beyond their pets and into merchandise, whether it be pencils, plates or pillows. Take one step beyond this and some pussycat lovers surround themselves with videos. Occasionally these videos are advertisements. Brands meow-keting their cat-based products … (we are not kitten around).

Here are five purr-motions that will be sure to please even those of us who are indifferent to our feline counterparts.

Sheba’s ‘You’ll Do Anything For a Kitten’

Earlier this month, pet food brand Sheba launched an integrated campaign to highlight the lengths that cat parents will go to for their kitten, led by three humorous spots.

Developed by creative agency AMV BBDO, the films are rooted in the insight that one in four cat owners are allergic to cats and yet still cannot resist showing unwavering love.

“This insight confirms that people will do anything for their kitten – including enduring sneezing, itching, and swelling – all in the name of love; we wanted to capture this portrait of cat ownership and celebrate the willingness to give in,” AMV BBDO creative partners, Polina Zabrodskaya and Andre Sallowicz, said.

The ads are supported by bespoke out-of-home assets located near large pharmacies throughout New York City – offering allergic cat owners discounts on Sheba products.

“We know the power that cats hold over their people. The Sheba brand puts cats at the heart of everything we do,” Mars Petcare vice-president of marketing, Jean-Paul Jansen said. “With the expansion into this new kitten product line, we’re continuing to create premium offerings to build a lifelong bond between cats and their owners from the start.”

Temptations’ ‘Cats Lose Their Cool’

In March, London-based agency adam&eveDDB developed a new creative platform for US brand Temptations, launching four hero films.

If cat owners have ever worried about their feline friends becoming a little too distant – (and a little too cool) – then Temptations’ latest campaign provides the remedy – coaxing them back with Temptations’ new range of dry cat food.

Featuring four delightfully sassy cats who might be getting a bit too big for their boots, the films parody typically ‘cool’ archetypes (a teenager, a fashionista, an artist and food critic) and show how good treats can break down the barrier between owner and pet.

“We hear from cat parents all the time about how much their cats go crazy for them, so the natural next step was to bring that same delicious appeal to mealtime,” Mars Petcare North America vice-president of marketing, Jean-Paul Jansen, said.

“Cats can sometimes be hard to please, but we love them for it. Part of being a cat parent is trying to earn the approval of your cat, and we know the new Temptations Dry Cat Food will help break down that cool cat exterior and allow a new and unique way for cats and their parents to bond.”

Whiskas’ ‘Even The Fussy Cats’

Back in February, Whiskas unveiled an integrated campaign to showcase the ‘great taste’ and variety of its new range.

Developed by creative agency AMV BBDO, the ‘Even the Fussy Cats’ campaign used live action and CGI to enter the mind of a fussy feline pet.

The brand’s hero film – directed by Renee Zhan at BLINKINK – showed viewers the ‘innermost thoughts’ of a cat, highlighting its picky nature. In the centre part of the fluffy brain is the Purr Room, complete with a ‘purr-o-meter’ with its ‘Not today’ and ‘Yes Please’ markers. When Whiskas is eventually offered to the fussy cat it rushes to eat, purring with approval and ‘sending the purr-o-meter into overdrive’.

“This campaign is a wonderful foray into the mind of a cat, a mystical world that many cat owners often find themselves wondering about as they attempt to evoke that ultimate seal of approval – the purr,” Whiskas European brand director, Zoe Zammit, said.

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Cats Protection’s winter campaign

On a slightly more serious note, in November last year, Cats Protection partnered with creative agency GOOD to launch an integrated campaign to ensure cats were cared for during the winter season.

Spanning fundraising, brand and retail, the campaign centred around the insight that the cost-of-living crisis saw waiting lists for the UK’s largest feline welfare charity grow by 20% last year.

The charity’s hope was to drive donations to create more temporary homes filled with all the necessities and comforts that abandoned cats needed during the colder seasons.

GOOD executive creative director Bryn Attewell said the agency wanted to “reflect the harsh realities facing many cats”, while also “shining a light on the amazing work Cats Protection does, providing cats with a warm, safe place that feels like home this winter”.

The agency has worked with Cats Protection on a retained basis since 2019 – delivering high impact fundraising and brand campaigns as well as creative assets for its Regular Giving portfolio.

Mars Petcare X Battersea Dogs & Cats Home

A month ago (March 2023), Mars Petcare partnered with the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and broadcaster Zara McDermott to raise awareness of the challenges around renting and letting properties with pets.

As part of the campaign, Mars Petcare and Battersea urged the government to pass its proposed Renters’ Reform Bill with key provisions to make renting with pets an easier process for tenants.

Both organisations came together to release ‘The Petiquette Guide to Rentals and Pet Ownership’, a digital guide with essential advice for people looking to rent with pets, alongside key information for both tenants and landlords.

The campaign was commissioned after research revealed that one in ten renters were ‘hiding’ a pet from their landlord – with 25% admitting to doing so in the past. Some 22% of those caught were also subsequently evicted.

“Responsible pet owners shouldn’t be denied the right to experience the joy and benefits of pet ownership just because they rent, but the current legislation and lack of clarity unfairly impacts renters,” Mars Petcare UK general manager, Paolo Rigamonti said.

“Our Petiquette Guide is a fantastic resource for landlords and tenants: arming them with the information they need in one place.”