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Key Findings
- PEDIGREE's new campaign introduces the "DRIZZLERS Sauce," a savory topper made just for dogs to enjoy at mealtime.
- A nostalgic Italian “Nonna” anchors the ad, turning a classic family trope into a playful story centered on pets.
- A NYC activation and influencer-led content help push the campaign across digital, social, and real-world touchpoints.
In a new campaign for PEDIGREE, BBDO NY asks a bold question: why should humans be the only ones with sauce on their meals?
Together with the agency, the pet food brand has launched the "DRIZZLERS Sauce," a line of toppers made just for dogs.
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The drop of the new product was made alongside an integrated campaign that tells the fictional tale of an Italian Nonna who guarded her secret recipe — not for family, but for her dogs.
The idea plays off the nostalgia of homemade sauces and Sunday dinners, twisting it in a playful, pet-focused direction.
The ad is currently running on TV, digital, and social, supported by influencer content and PR.
Jean-Paul Jansen, CMO at Mars Pet Nutrition North America, said the goal was to mirror the importance of sauce and flavor in human meals.
"We recognize that our pets are an extension of our families and with the launch of our newest innovation, PEDIGREE DRIZZLERS Sauce, we are giving dogs the opportunity to enjoy their mealtimes with new flavours just like we do," Jansen added.
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Reality star West Wilson, who partnered with the brand for social content and an upcoming activation, echoed the message.
“Ever since I learned that so many dogs are eating sauceless meals, I realized just how passionate I am about making dogs' meals across the country saucy,” he said.
For creative agencies, this campaign shows how a strong brand identity can turn everyday human habits like cooking for family into playful storytelling that connects brands with their pet-loving audiences.
What's Nonna Cooking?
The hero spot takes viewers to the Italian countryside, where a warm-toned kitchen, rustic visuals, and a soft-voiced narrator introduce Nonna and her prized sauce.
She cooks, she stirs, she shoos away onlookers — all in service of her furry audience.
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"You never had a sauce like mine. And you never will! Because my sauce is only for dogs," Nonna says, as she carries her pot of sauce to her furry friends waiting for mealtime by the front yard.
Overall, the ad is an unexpected twist on the archetype of the protective family cook.
But the campaign doesn’t end at storytelling.
On May 17, PEDIGREE and Wilson will host a branded hot dog stand in New York City.
And while owners enjoy classic hot dogs, their pups get a taste of DRIZZLERS Sauce. It’s a clever real-world extension of the idea that pets deserve flavorful meals too.
The campaign rolls out across social media, online video, and digital direct, giving the fictional Nonna a broader stage while encouraging pet owners to rethink what they’re putting in their dogs’ bowls.
It's a saucy story, and no humans are allowed.
Previously, Anomaly and Keebler delivered a whimsical spot alongside social efforts to promote the arrival of the "E.L. Fudge Choco Vanilla."
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