The new spot from The Farmer’s Dog shows a referee and his dog.
As it grows its business, The Farmer’s Dog is investing in an advertising blitz that begins with a 60-second spot that will debut during tonight’s Ravens-Chiefs NFL kickoff game on NBC.
One of four The Famer’s Dog ads created for this fall, the new commercial is the first long-form, narrative-driven TV spot for the 9-year-old direct-to-consumer brand since its Emmy-nominated 2023 Super Bowl ad.
“We wanted to tell a story that would meet the moment of the NFL kickoff and ultimately highlight something that we believe to be sacred—the relationship people have with their dogs,” said Marshall Ball, senior VP of brand marketing for Farmer’s Dog, which delivers personalized fresh dog food to customers. “It’s not dissimilar to what we did in 2023.”
Like that emotional push, which was the brand’s first Super Bowl spot, the new ad tells the story of a dog owner. It shows a football referee dealing with the public fallout of a call many disagreed with and how he receives comfort from his pet dog. “Doing your best for them is good enough for today,” text reads at the end of the ad.
Farmer’s Dog’s more recent ads, including last year’s “No Magic” campaign, include real customer testimonials; such spots pursue a brand strategy of education.
Later this fall, the dog food brand will roll out three additional spots, each 30 seconds in length, to highlight other aspects of its services, including delivery, ingredients and the importance of healthy food for dogs. All were created in-house and directed by Australian director John Hillcoat.
The ads will air on TV, paid social and Farmer’s Dog’s owned channels.
“Football season is one of the last places where you can speak to so many people at once so this was a pretty unique opportunity to introduce ourselves to folks who may not know us yet,” said Ball.
While he declined to comment on how the budget for the new push this fall compares with previous efforts, he said its media continues to scale and that this is one of the brand’s “bigger creative refreshes to date.”
When asked about plans for the upcoming Super Bowl, Ball avoided a direct answer; he said the brand is solely focused on the new spot.
