Pet Valu is launching a multi-platform campaign that encourages pet owners to take a break from streaming and play with their dogs instead. By doing so, the brand seeks to redefine the toy business as a vital component of a healthy pet-owner bond, at a time when many pet owners see toys as unnecessary.

Dubbed “Playtime,” the campaign consists of a series of video ads showcasing a dog chasing his ball, suddenly and playfully interrupting a simulated streaming session. The spots will be distributed across multiple platforms, including Corus’ specialty channel Home Network, Amazon Prime, mobile games and social channels like Meta and Instagram.

All creatives also feature a maple leaf with the phrase “Proudly Canadian.”

The campaign is supported by digital flyers, emails and in-store promotion, with True Media in charge of media buying and creative developed by Arrivals + Departures.

Idan Driman, VP of marketing at Pet Valu, tells MiC that the investment for the campaign is comparable to previous initiatives such as the “Moving with Pets,” which was launched last year in collaboration with Re/Max Canada through TV ads and social media content.

Driman explains that the media plan was chosen based on a combination of creative and media factors. Amazon Prime and the lifestyle programming on Home Network enabled the brand to bring to life the creative approach developed by the agency. And from a media perspective, the selection was based on performance data.

“We created this campaign to demonstrate why toys are essential for devoted pet lovers rather than just ‘nice to have.’ With so many distractions competing for our attention, playtime with our pets can become an afterthought,” he says.

“Playtime” is also a continuation of their previous “Love Lives Here” campaigns, which seeks to elevate the brand’s image beyond that of a retail store, showcasing its commitment to animal care.

Introduced in 2021, “Love Lives Here” brand platform celebrates the strong bonds between pet owners and their furry friends. And the company’s latest campaign under that platform, debuted last November, featured a relatable in-store moment where an employee and a pet owner shared a laugh over a dog modeling stylish boots with suspenders. The campaign, which tapped into an upward trend of footwear in pet apparel, spanned conventional and connected TV, with additional testing and learning on social media, Amazon Prime and Disney+ during the holiday season.

“The media and creative has been modified for this campaign but like our earlier campaigns, it always goes back to Pet Valu’s core brand differentiators,” Driman adds.