What is this project?

This project is a creative brief and integrated campaign to promote Chewy's Halloween products, specifically pet costumes, to pet owners. The campaign targets pet lovers, particularly Millennials who are likely to purchase products online and want to make holidays memorable for their pets. The goal is to showcase Chewy’s Halloween costumes and treats as a fun, joyful way for pet owners to engage with their pets during the Halloween season. The campaign will highlight the fun of dressing up pets and how it creates lasting memories, while also encouraging customers to order costumes and treats together from Chewy.com.

How did I prepare?

I began by researching Chewy’s brand identity and the holiday pet products they offer. I studied customer insights to understand what motivates pet owners to purchase seasonal products like Halloween costumes. Additionally, I analyzed the behavior of Millennials as a key target audience, particularly their preference for online shopping and their emotional connection to pets. I also reviewed marketing strategies for similar seasonal campaigns, particularly those for pet products, to understand what visuals and messaging were most effective in driving engagement. Using this information, I developed a campaign concept centered around creating joyful experiences through pet costumes, while also addressing the potential hesitations customers may have about the expense.

For the campaign's design, I planned visual concepts for both print ads, focusing on the joy and playfulness of pets in costumes, as well as clear messaging that highlights the added value of treats. I sketched storyboards for each ad and planned out the layout for each print ad, ensuring they would be visually engaging and clear in communicating the campaign's message.

How did I put my plan into action?

I implemented the creative concept by creating two print ads that align with the campaign's goal of emphasizing the fun, joyful, and memorable nature of dressing up pets. The first ad, titled “Trick or Treat? How About Both!”, showcases a smiling dog in a pumpkin costume, accompanied by a bowl of treats. The ad uses playful language and a festive image to connect the costume and treat products with the Halloween holiday, while also inviting pet owners to make their purchase on Chewy.com. The second ad, “Spooky Style for Every Pet,” features a cute cat dressed in a ghost costume, inviting pet owners to consider Chewy’s range of Halloween costumes. Both ads include a clear call to action, encouraging pet owners to visit the website to shop for their pet's costume.

Each ad also uses different techniques to strengthen the message. For the first ad, I used the technique of headline as a question (“Trick or Treat? How About Both!”), which engages the reader immediately. The second ad employs contrast/contradistinction by presenting a playful cat costume within a spooky Halloween context. Both ads use powerful images of happy pets to engage the audience visually and emotionally.

What were my results and lessons?

This campaign aims to effectively increase awareness and sales for Chewy’s Halloween pet products by tapping into the emotional appeal of making pets a part of the holiday fun. It engages the audience by showing how costumes and treats contribute to joyful experiences with pets, encouraging pet owners to indulge in these products. One challenge I faced was ensuring the messaging felt fun and light-hearted without undermining the brand’s reliability as a source for pet necessities. To address this, I balanced humor with clear product benefits, ensuring that the audience understood the value of the purchase.

Through this project, I learned how to blend creativity with strategic marketing, using both visual and emotional elements to create a compelling ad campaign. I also recognized the importance of targeting consumer behavior and preferences, especially when creating campaigns for specific seasons or holidays. Moving forward, I will apply these insights to future campaigns by focusing on both emotional engagement and clear messaging to drive consumer action.