Since moving here I technically cannot claim to have any cats of my own (darn landlord!), but before Pittsburgh I had three cats. Yes, I am a cat person. And yes, I am a dog person. Animals have always been a part of my life growing up, but cats didn’t enter my life until a little later, and I love them. It’s a common joke that people, more specifically women who have cats, are automatically placed into a category that holds a stigma for being odd, weird, crazy, etc. Perhaps I am none, one, or all of those things, but I don’t believe I earned those descriptors by my association with the small felines. Cats are cool and people want to express it!
Earlier in the year, Purina launched a commercial advertising their Pro Plan dog food, asserting that “Inside Every Good Dog Is a Great Dog”. In a commercial spot aired during the Academy of Country Music Awards last Sunday, Purina turned the floor over to the cats, promoting their Cat Chow cat food. The 60-second commercial took regular pet owners who were able to express why cats were important to them. Purina also cleverly addressed the crazy cat lady stereotype in a way that was funny, but got the message across that people who own cats are just like everybody else. One memorable line spoken by a middle-aged man stated, “Not an ice-cream-eating, nightgown-wearing crazy cat lady”.
The commercial targets animal lovers, both dog-lovers and cat-lovers alike. For the dog-lovers, it’s nice to hear the perspective from the other side. Additionally, the commercial may evoke a greater appreciation for cats. Alternately, cat-lovers will enjoy the commercial because it’s all about them! Using real cat owners who tell a little bit of their story is fun and entertaining. At the end of the commercial, the Purina brand appears as well as placement for the Cat Chow product. The viewer will likely associate Purina as a company that cares for cats and has an established brand loyalty, as observed by the many spokespersons in the commercial. The ad leaves a much stronger impression as opposed to a quick product placement and voiceover as seen from other pet food manufacturers.
I'm a dog person, but that commercial was really cute!
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