TiNY Puts Real Pets on the Payroll for New PetArmor Campaign
The Californer/10338187

NEW YORK - Californer -- Your dog isn't just lying in the hall. He's a professional doorman. Your cat isn't picky. She's a discerning food critic. And that pup fetching sticks? Branch manager, hard at work.

For the launch of the new PetArmor Extend flea and tick collar, independent New York agency TiNY created "Pets Work Hard", a campaign celebrating the important jobs that pets do. And instead of hiring pet actors, TiNY licensed real social posts directly from real people through licensing ad tech platform Catch+Release.

"Dog and cat owners can smell BS a mile away," said Mike Rovner, CCO and Partner at TiNY. "We turned to Found Content because there's so much incredible footage on Instagram and TikTok now. Why fake it when your audience is already doing it?"

The campaign positions the 8-month flea and tick collar, as "the hardest working collar your money can buy." It's a reframe that respects both the household budget and its hardest working member, competing directly with high-priced competitors on work ethic instead of price.

"Our consumers work hard for their money," said Jissan Cherian, PetIQ's Chief Marketing Officer. "As much as anyone, they appreciate that PetArmor has always made premium protection accessible for all pet parents. TiNY brought us a campaign that perfectly mirrors our audience and their work ethic."

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Kyle Lembke, PetArmor Sr. Director of Marketing, added: "In an always-on economy, people want products that pull their weight. PetArmor Extend's eight months of protection means fewer interruptions, fewer replacements, and one less thing to worry about for hard-working people and pets."

The ads work hard too: "Using Found Content, you're basically writing, shooting, and editing at the same time," said Tom Christmann, CMO and a creator at TiNY. Michael Stoopack, TiNY's President, finishes the thought: "Then rewriting, reshooting, and re-editing according to what exists, what lives up to the idea, and what you can actually license. It forced us to push our thinking and made a great idea even more engaging."

The result is a platform with legs. Security guard. Stuntman. VP of Fetch. Now every pet behavior becomes an opportunity to insert a hardworking job title, creating endless opportunities for ongoing content that pet owners will actually recognize from their own lives.

"Most pet campaigns are one-offs," said Camillo Pane, CEO of PetIQ. "TiNY created an infinitely extendable world for the PetArmor brand to live in. That's the kind of big thinking clients want and the sustainable approach today's marketers need."

The campaign debuts on streaming and digital platforms with four spots: "Pets Work Hard," "Dogs Work Hard," "Cats Work Hard," and "Dog Supervisor", a special tribute to homes that have cats and dogs living together. Meow.

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Pets Work Hard :30



Dog Supervisor :30



Dogs Work Hard :15



Cats Work Hard :15

Campaign Credits

Agency: TiNY

Michael Stoopack - President

Mike Rovner - Chief Creative Officer

Tom Christmann - Chief Marketing Officer

Chris Martin - Creative Director

Jules Evenson - Creative Director

Marshall Montner - Art Director

Heather Long - Strategist

Production: Reform School

Evan Silver - Director

Ryan Ennis - Executive producer

Post-Prodcution: Northern Lights

Tina Mintus - Editor

Jody Peters - Executive Producer

Michael McKenna - Creative Director/VFX Artist

John McMinn - Assistant Editor

Chris Hengeveld - Colorist

Sarah Sullivan - Senior Producer

Audio: Superexploder

Jody Nazzaro - Audio Engineer

Meredith Nazzaro - Executive Producer

Color: Company 3

Jaime O'Bradovich - Senior Colorist

Client: PetIQ

Jissan Cherian - Chief Marketing Officer

Kyle Lembke - Sr. Director of Marketing

Sam Wilson - Sr. Brand Manager

Sam Omer - Asst. Brand Manager

Jay Valle - Design Director

Clinton Stonich - Sr. Creative Director