• by Tanya Gazdik , March 7, 2013

Mars Petcare’s Sheba cat food brand is launching an integrated marketing campaign featuring actress Eva Longoria.

The effort has the tagline “Feed your passion.” Longoria, perhaps best known for her role on TV drama “Desperate Housewives,” is also a philanthropist and a cat lover.

"My fans know that I am passionate about things like acting, charitable giving, cooking and dancing, but taking part in this campaign has helped me showcase my passion for pets -- especially cats," Longoria says in a statement.

The multichannel campaign introduces the premium cat food brand to the U.S. marketplace and leverages a fully integrated marketing approach that features Longoria in TV, print and digital advertising, in-store and consumer promotions, public relations and social media channels.

The theme line plays off of the idea that cat owners can “feed the passion” they have for their cats by giving them Sheba’s premium recipes, said Tina Garcia, marketing services director for Mars Petcare, in a release. Eva Longoria, a cat lover, embodies the brand’s essence and the passions of our core consumer, she added.

Sheba celebrates that cat lovers have many passions -- one being their cat. The brand’s target customer lives out their many passions -- from cooking a fresh, flavorful meal for family to working to spruce up a new space (which includes a special spot for feline friends).

The effort includes a “Feed your passion” contest, providing the opportunity for those with feline friends to enter for a chance to be one of three people to win up to $5,000.00 to help feed one of their many passions.  

Through May 31, cat lovers can visit www.Sheba.com/FeedYourPassion to enter the contest by sharing a simple picture of their cat along with a caption that shares how they would celebrate their ultimate passion in a big way. Exclusive video content featuring Longoria discussing her favorite passions can also be viewed on the contest Web site.

Sheba enters the U.S. pet care market with two new lines, Premium Cuts and Premium Pates, each featuring recipes made from carefully selected, quality ingredients. Mars Petcare US is also offering offering five varieties that follow the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch recommendations for sustainability. Sheba currently offers responsibly sourced whitefish, tuna and seafood options, and by the end of 2013, all Sheba fish recipes -- including salmon -- will meet the Seafood Watch recommendations.