When consumers were confusing the advertising for PetSmart - the world's largest pet retailer - with smaller competitive pet stores, the Jones team was called in to help. Under Jones strategic and creative direction, the PetSmart "red ball" - an underutilized part of PetSmart's logo - was called into action as a low price icon in promotional ads, and as a clear brand identifier in image ads (like the Silver Telly award winning “Snowpets” TV ad featured here). The red ball was used in broadcast and print advertising as well as point-of-sale materials. It has continued to be an anchor within PetSmart’s brand identity years later.
Red Ball
PetsMart: Promo TV "Tent Event"
Petsmart
PetSmart, the world’s largest pet retailer, had an identity crisis. Pet owners were confusing PetSmart’s “Where pets are family” advertising with smaller rival PETCO. By combining the brand confusion with a strategy of opening multiple smaller stores, PETCO began drawing away PetSmart’s customers.
The Jones Advertising team created new image and promotional campaigns utilizing the red ball from the PetSmart logo as an icon representing trust and value. While retaining equity in the “Where pets are family” tagline, The red ball transformed PetSmart’s brand identity and was used in all media and throughout the stores, unmistakably linking the advertising icon with PetSmart.
Same-store sales rose 22% after our award-winning holiday campaign, resulting in PetSmart’s biggest revenue jump in a single quarter—regaining all lost market share from PETCO and reestablishing itself as a pet shopping destination. The red ball campaign ran for more than nine years.
“This campaign gave us a much needed shot in the arm and reestablished PetSmart as the category leader. I’m very proud of this work.”—Mark Seifert
Vice President of Marketing, PetSmart