• by Tanya Gazdik , June 4, 2017

Stainmaster brand is aiming to change the way pet owners think about flooring with creative that celebrates life’s messes. 

The TV spot features the quintessential kid and dog doing what they do best, which includes getting dirt — and cheese dust — on the light-colored carpeting. Atlanta-based Scout partnered with the brand in 2016, and this is the first TV campaign created by the agency for the brand. 

The creative brings to life the magic that occurs when pets and their people have freedom in their homes, says Saakait Mathur, Stainmaster senior brand manager.

“The insight we identified transcended any product benefit,” Mathur tells Marketing Daily. “Pet parents want their pets to be with them in every room of their homes. Providing this benefit was the key to our brand and product meaning. Our aim was to appeal to the pet parent in their hearts and minds, and ultimately earn a place in their homes.”

The campaign targets “pet parents who believe that pets are more than just property, they are a part of the family just like a child or spouse,” Mathur adds.

TV includes 60-, 30-, 20-, 15- and 10-second cuts. The campaign also will run across platforms including social, digital, pre-roll and on the brand’s Web site.

With the “Part of the Family” campaign, the agency challenged themselves to move away from the functional benefit-driven ads typically seen in the flooring industry, and instead lead with an emotional benefit. 

“The real emotional benefit comes from the freedom of living in a pet-friendly home,” said Travis Sharp, VP, creative director, Scout. “Pet messes are inevitable, and oftentimes owners resort to putting up gates or restricting pets to certain rooms of the house. Stainmaster PetProtect flooring helps provide peace of mind.”

Connecting with purchasers of pet products at an emotional level can translate to an increase in dollars spent. The American Pet Products Association estimates nearly $70 billion will be spent on pets in 2017, up about 25% from five years ago.