Target’s latest marketing campaign is going to the pets. The giant retail brand worked with AKQA to unleash “The Cuddle Collab” campaign. The brand also partnered with six popular social media “fur-fluencers” to promote its limited-time collection of 180 pet-inspired products for pets and their owners.
In a :15 spot, Target’s iconic mascot Bullseye, along with a cast of furry co-stars—ranging from Ellie and Emma to Baloo and Pan—take over a Target store for a night of mischievous shopping.
With 70% of Target guest families including pets, this campaign represents a savvy move by Target to expand its brand presence in the booming pet product market.
Here’s what iSpot’s Creative Assessment platform revealed on actual viewer response to the campaign.
The Details:
- From 9/9/24 through 9/16/24, the new “The Cuddle Collab” spots have dominated Target brand Spend on linear, with the :30 drawing 78% of media Spend in the channel while the :15 slightly led Impression delivery (33%):
- Over the two weeks ending 9/16/24, “The Cuddle Collab” pulled a 22.56% brand SOV (Impressions) on streaming.
- Across the full audience, the :15 “The Cuddle Collab” was an absolute hit, driven by the adorably Cute dogs and cats and Colorful visuals (both rated Single Best Thing at disproportionately high rates for the discount stores category) that delivered excellent breakthrough (Attention and Likeability):
- Despite pet ownership not being universal within this audience, the ad still ranked in the 99th percentile on Relevance and placed in the top 1% on the Change it communicated, Watchability, and overall response (Ace Score).
- Resonating very, very well across age/gender, the :15 boasted a 63% Top 2 Box intent rate to outpace norms by +13 pts.
- Despite pet ownership not being universal within this audience, the ad still ranked in the 99th percentile on Relevance and placed in the top 1% on the Change it communicated, Watchability, and overall response (Ace Score).
Sample comments on “The Cuddle Collab” :15
“I thought the use of animals in the ad was adorable and clever, because these products are specifically for pets! It’s fun to see animals get excited for a Target run, just like humans!”
Female 21-35
“I love cats and dogs and to know that a store has products that I need, I’m very interested.”
Male 21-35
“Pretty trendy advertisement animal enthusiasts would love, along with family households that chose to indulge in carrying a pet.”
Male 36-49
“I loved the song playing in the background, Hot to Go, and the rug that was a parody of the Anti Social Social Club. It was very trendy and overall a good video that got my attention.”
Female 21-35
“Clever, filled with action and joy, appeals to all animal lovers, upbeat, product focused.”
Male 50+
“The dogs and cats shopping and taking over the store—it was so cute. I was picturing my animals shopping and what they would do.”
Female 50+
“It was super cute and sweet. With all the adorable animals, made me think of my own and buying him something.”
Male 36-49
“Funny. It’s all going to the dogs. Everyone including them want to take advantage of a sale.”
Male 50+
“The ad tells me Target is starting a new program for pet owners. I am intrigued.”
Female 36-49
- While the :30 was also very well received, the effectiveness of the :15 suggests an opportunity for Target to optimize reach and/or the budget by favoring the :15 in forward media rotations (which actually drove higher consumer intent):
- The 63% purchase/visit intent professed by viewers of the :15 “The Cuddle Collab” outperforms many of the best received pet store ads over the past year, surpassed only by PetSmart’s spot supporting National Adoption Week ahead of the holidays:
- Clearly boosted by the animals doing a ‘Target run,’ the two “The Cuddle Collab” ads were the best received among discount store spots over the past year as well, with the :15 still boasting one of the highest consideration rates:
- Big Lots and Walmart employed deals/offers to drive intent while Walmart’s holiday ad employed festive music and a broad array of ‘things’ available from the brand.
- While Target unaided recall trailed discount store norms by a small amount, most non-matches in viewer recall responses were of ‘cuddle collab’ (in all its many different spellings and misspellings):
- Given heightened viewer sensitivity in the current political environment, response confirmed appeal regardless of party affiliation, allowing broad programming options.
- The level of engagement achieved by “The Cuddle Collab” spots is impressive even against pet store earlier holiday ads (also featuring cute pets and often holiday music):
- Target could consider carrying this collection through the holidays, if not already in the plans.
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Creative Agency: AKQA