Extra time spent locked down at home inspired nearly half (49%) of Americans to welcome a new dog into their families. Nearly 80% of dog owners are now concerned about their pet’s separation anxiety once they go back to work or travel. But with Rover, helicopter pet parents can trust that their pets will be well taken care of by a loving sitter, because sitters on Rover actually encourage customers to get specific with their care instructions.
Seattle-based ad agency Little Hands of Stone thus created a campaign for Rover, positioning it as a better alternative to asking friends and family to care for pets when their owners are away. “It can get awkward to hand over a laundry list of super-specific pet care instructions to your friends and family,” said Matt McCain, Little Hands of Stone co-founder and executive creative director. “But sitters on Rover actually find it helpful, so we wanted to show the loving bond between pet and parent in all its authentic, relatable weirdness.”
The campaign, including this :30 directed by Alex Gorosh of Hungry Man, features real Rover customers and their pets, sharing real care instructions for their sitter via the Rover app. Favorite treats. Phobias. Obsessions. Odd idiosyncrasies. Calming techniques. Nicknames. EVERYTHING. The commercial airs nationally on 26 cable networks including MTV, COMEDY, A&E, AMC, TBS, TNT, and USA, as well as digital and social.