Petco launches $15 million TV, online effort

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PetcoAfter years of being the place “where the pets go” and subsequently “where the healthy pets go,” Petco is updating its tagline and embarking on a company transformation intended to make it a destination that’s about more than just products and services. The campaign will include TV and online video buys into the first quarter of next year. Early next year, in-store aspects, including signage and the new uniforms will be rolled out.


The new tagline, “The Power of Together,” is meant to highlight the human-animal bond. Or more simply put: “There’s a desire to see pets as part of the family,” Elizabeth Charles, Petco’s chief marketing officer, told AdAge. “They’re no longer in the backyard, they’re up in the bedroom.”

Petco is putting $15 million behind the campaign, which launches this week.

The 60-second anthem spot for the campaign includes heartwarming moments — a man in a wheelchair being pulled by his dog, a dog leaping on a man dressed in military gear, a young girl brushing her teeth alongside her pet bird, a kitten being fed from a bottle. But it also cleverly highlights the syllable “co,” which means together in Latin and happens to be part of Petco’s name.

Words like companions, cohabitants, copilots, coexistence and connections flash across the screen. And a voiceover says: “Two simple letters say it all. They’re at the heart of the words that bond us and at the core of our promise to nurture that connection completely, mind and body. That’s why you’ll find them in our name.”

“We felt there was no one in the pet space talking to what pet parents most cared about, which was that bond they had with their pets,” said Charles. “We’ve been told by our vendors and the vet community that we have a unique proposition. We’re not just looking at nutritional needs and basic care but the emotional, social and mental well-being of a pet. Talking about those aspects of a pet’s complete health, over time, will help differentiate us.”

Petco also plans to put more emphasis on its social communities, as well as increase in-store seminars and events.

“We’re redefining the game from just being about products and services. You can play the price game all day long,” said Charles. “Customers want to have a relationship with their retailer, to that extent we can provide tailored advice, services and solutions.”

See the AdAge story here.