When you introduce a relatively new product to consumers, you might as well invent a whole new word.
Pet care brand Hartz is doing the same with its first campaign of “Delectables” wet cat treats, which come in pouches and special “squeeze-up” containers.
“The campaign is designed to introduce an entirely new form of product,” said Hartz CMO Tina DeLay. “Since wet cat treats are relatively new compared to the old standard dry treats, many pet families and their parents still don’t know that there is a better way to show joy and love. ‘affection to their capricious cats.’
The campaign introduces the idea of ”Deliciously Delickable Delectables”, expressed in ads via text and a new jingle created by Sean McVerry, who recently won the “Battle of the Instant Songwriters” competition on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “We loved the idea of coming up with a tongue-twisting tagline and a whole new word, De-Lick-able, to go with it,” said Chuck McBride, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Cutwater, the agency who created the campaign.
Considering the hilarious jingle and consumers’ general misunderstanding of the product, the agency opted for a humorous approach to convey its message. One spot shows a woman being invaded by two impatient cats talking on the phone with her partner, who is at the grocery store. “Hey, while you’re at it, grab some of these Delectables, the cat lick treat,” she says. The man, visibly confused, has no idea what she is talking about and they repeat the name of the product – in various stages of correct pronunciation until the shopper finds the treats in a grocery store aisle.
A second spot depicts a similar miscommunication between two women in a living room.
“Our artistic and strategic direction was to own the lick,” McBride said. “It’s intrinsic to all wet cat treats. We found relatable moments that pet parents could relate to and where subtle humor could play a role.
The effort is designed to reach millennial and Gen Z consumers, who represent the largest segment of cat-owning households in the country, according to Caitlin Delaney, senior media supervisor at Cutwater. As such, it will employ a heavily digital strategy, she said.