In a new spot from Petco, a group of affluent snobs enjoy cocktails in a "Downton Abbey"-like setting. “Did you know that Petco is now a health and wellness company?” an older man asks, before a woman snootily chides him, “I believe you’re the only one who doesn’t know that, Avery.” Others at the party discuss Petco’s grooming, vets and food delivery services. The scene shifts and the people are revealed to be pets—a group of dogs and cats that bear an uncanny resembles to the humans they replaced. “It’s what we’d want if we were pets,” reads text that appears on the screen.
The 45-second commercial, the anthem video in Petco’s first campaign from Droga5 since naming the Accenture Interactive-owned shop its creative agency late last year, illustrates the retailer’s new brand direction. Last October, the San Diego-based company announced it was rebranding itself as a “Petco, The Health + Wellness Co." and discontinuing harmful products such as shock collars. The move was the final step in a series of changes dating back to early 2019, when Petco pledged to eliminate artificial ingredients from its pet food. In January, the company went public.