Hartz has teamed up with creative and media agency Cutwater, with offices in San Francisco and New York City, to launch an innovative and heartfelt campaign called “Unconditional Love Confessions.” This marks Hartz’s first significant marketing initiative at the masterbrand level, highlighting the special, two-way relationship between pets and their owners.
Pet owners have been known to prioritize their furry companions above many other expenses, reflecting the deep bond and positive mental health benefits that pets provide. The “Unconditional Love Confessions” campaign embraces this bond by capturing pet parents admitting the quirky and endearing behaviors of their dogs and cats through a mockumentary-style narrative.
The campaign features a diverse lineup of real pet families, showcasing both the challenges and rewards of pet ownership. These candid confessions highlight universal pet-owner experiences, such as remembering a dog’s birthday over a spouse’s, enjoying post-shower leg licks, feeding a jealous pet in a high chair, and bonding through howling.
The campaign is anchored by a series of social films directed by John Irwin of GOOD MEASURE, with production and editorial spearheaded by the same team. The content will run across paid and owned channels, including Meta (Facebook/Instagram) and TikTok, aiming to reach Millennial and Gen Z audiences. Watch below:
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Cutwater Founder and CCO Chuck McBride explains, “We made bold, conscious decisions to focus on the highs and lows of pet parenthood as well as avoid the overly polished visual aesthetics that tend to dominate this landscape. All of the talent are real owners with their dogs and cats, which adds to the authenticity and relatability of the campaign.”
This initiative expands on the existing “Unconditional Love” brand platform, which was developed by Cutwater and previously rolled out in campaigns for UltraGuard ProMax, Nature’s Shield, and Home Protection Dog Pads.
Hartz Senior Director of Marketing Stacy Kisla expresses excitement about finally putting the Hartz masterbrand in the spotlight. “During the shoot, we welcomed unscripted pet peeves, pun intended, which made the performances more natural and organic. As for the confessions: if you know, you know.”
The U.S. pet market, deemed recession-resistant, is projected to surpass $250 billion by 2030. Hartz Vice President of Marketing Dai Kageyama adds, “This campaign highlights the bond between pets and pet owners – filled with moments of pure love and accompanied by little secrets that only they know. Whether it’s education, entertainment, or a mixture of both, there should be some kind of emotional value added to the lives of pet families who choose to spend time with us on social.”
Pet owners are encouraged to join the conversation online by sharing their own confessions using the hashtag #UnconditionalLoveConfessions.
CREDITS:
BRAND: Hartz
- President and Chief Operating Officer: Tina Le Lay
- Vice President of Marketing: Dai Kageyama
- Senior Director of Marketing (Cross-Category): Stacy Kisla
- Senior Director of Marketing (Cat Treats): Gregg Herman
- Marketing Director (Hygiene): Louisa Guo
- Marketing Director (Animal Health) Kaz Hyodo
- Senior Brand Manager (Dog Treats & Toys): Jack Jensen
- Senior Brand Manager (Cat Treats): Stephanie Kreuder
AGENCY: Cutwater
- Founder & Chief Creative Officer: Chuck McBride
- Principal & President: Christian Hughes
- Creative Director: Amy Su
- Creative Director: Teddy Miller
- Senior Copywriter: Taylor Smith
- Senior Art Director: Lexi Lanzi
- Executive Producer: Doug Stivers
- Producer: Eric Weiner
- Strategist: Jake Baldridge
- Head of Media and Communications: Lizzy Ryan
- Head of Paid Social: Joseph Gudino
- Media Director: Wesley Cason
- Associate Director, Media Strategy: Caitlin Delaney
- Group Account Director: Greg Masiakos
- Account Director: Brett Harris
- Senior Account Executive: Marc Cruz
- Project Manager: Ana Elejalde
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Good Measure
- Executive Producer: Charles Son
- Director: John Irwin
- Producer: Justin Oberman
- Production Manager: Anna Lillie
- Audio Mixer: Paul Gonzales
- VTR: Sam Baek
- Makeup Artist: Yuriko Bondies
- Production Designer: Ava Jones
- Art Assistant: Eric Moore
- Production Assistant: Elise Ma
- Production Assistant: Edgar Cortes
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