During the Oscars, PetSmart and Christopher Guest launched a pretty excellent campaign themed around Best in Show. Now, they're back with more.
The new material from GSD&M is particularly reminiscent of Parker Posey and Michael Hitchcock as Meg and Hamilton Swan, who, in the movie, love J. Crew (and other clothing catalogs). But the man and woman in this latest ad, "The Avant Guardians," are more haute, if equally insane, describing themselves, and their dog, as "fashion forward."
That's to say, in keeping with the Best in Show tradition, they ridiculously project all kinds of human qualities on their coddled shih tzu, Ford (presumably a nod to Tom Ford). And because it's Guest-directed, the delivery is awkward in a perfect kind of way, with the actors ping-ponging between nonchalant and over the top, making crazy eyes and stammering out too-enthusiastic punch lines.
It almost makes it easy to forget that it's a sales pitch. Then again, that's pretty easy to do when you're basically just copying a classic … even if by inbreeding.
CREDITS
Client: PetSmart
Vice President, Marketing Communications: Shane McCall
Director, Traditional Creative: Valerie Lederer
Associate Creative Manager, Traditional Creative: Tara Niederhaus
Director, Marketing Strategy, National Promotions: Debbie Beisswanger
Creative Manager, Store Environment: Chris Windsor
Project Manager, Salon Strategy: Megan Mouser
Titles: "The Avant Guardians" :15/:30; "Nooks and Crannies" 2:18
Agency: GSD&M
Group Creative Director, Art Director: Scott Brewer
Group Creative Director, Writer: Ryan Carroll
Associate Creative Director, Art Director: Ross Aboud
Associate Creative Director, Writer: Kevin Dunleavy
Art Director: Morgan McDonald
Writer: Scott Chalkley
Agency Producer: Abigail Hinojosa
Associate Agency Producer: Adriane Weist
Business Manager: Lindsay Wakabayashi
Senior Vice President, Managing Director: Scott Moore
Account Director: Sabia Sidiqi
Account Supervisor: Ben Creasey
Account Manager: Nadia Elias
Production Company: GO
Director: Christopher Guest
Managing Director: Gary Rose
Executive Producers: Adam Bloom, Catherine Finkenstaedt
Line Producer: Mark Hyatt
Director of Photography: Kristian Kachikis
Editing: Mackenzie Cutler
Editor: Gavin Cutler
