• by Tanya Gazdik , March 29, 2020

One of the only upsides of consumers sheltering in place to protect themselves and others against the spread of COVID-19 is that pets are happy with the extra companionship.

Freshpet is launching a 30-second spot called “Home" showing how pets and people can support each other during this stressful time.  

Created by New York-based Terri & Sandy, the ad is debuting across Freshpet’s YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, and is also backed by paid social, online video and connected TV.

“The piece serves as a reminder that while we’re all indoors, there’s still a lot of love to celebrate -- especially with our pets,” says John Speranza, Freshpet’s vice president of marketing.

“It goes without saying that we’re all trying to adapt during this unprecedented time, even our pets, who aren’t used to having us home so much,” Speranza tells Marketing Daily. “We knew that we needed to shift away from our traditional Freshpet spots, but it was important for us to be sensitive to the current environment and acknowledge what we’re all going through.”

The spot has replaced the marketing messages the brand has been airing and were also planning to launch, he says.

It “was created using a filter based on what’s happening in our world,” he says. “While we don’t have a specific timeframe, we will continue to listen to our customers and deliver content that resonates with them.”

Terri & Sandy came up with the idea and turned it around in a day.

“We felt this was an important, uplifting, positive message in the midst of this extremely difficult time,” says Sandy Greenberg, co-founder and CEO  of Terri & Sandy. “Our pets really do provide a refuge -- love, nourishment, affection -- for us right now.”