The emotional ad for “Farmer’s Dog” aims to up-end the way pet food is made. Lynda Baquero reports.
Of all the Super Bowl commercials that aired this year, some generated much more talk than others (looking at you, Tubi).
But one that garnered a lot attention is a dog food commercial that may have brought animal lovers to tears. The touching ad for The Farmer's Dog, chronicles the journey of a girl and her canine companion named Bear through life together — from their young days as a child playing with her puppy, to that her starting a family of her own, the aging dog still by her side.
If you somehow missed it, watch it below (but just be sure to have the tissues ready):
The company behind the commercial, The Farmer's Dog, is based in New York City. From his office in Greenwich Village, company CEO Jonathan Regev told NBC New York he never envisioned one day buying an advertisement during the Super Bowl.
"We basically put our hearts on TV and showed it to the whole world," Regev said. "It’s like we were all crying in unison."
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The ad earned accolades from those who tuned in, being rated among the best of the night, along with the NFL's celebration of women and flag football, as well as Dunkin's spot with Ben Affleck working the drive-thru.
Regev launched the company in 2014, focusing on selling dog food with human-grade meats and vegetables. His goal is to upend the way pet food is made, which he says is often with processed ingredients.
"Most companies know that people care about their dog and want to feed something healthy and I think that’s influenced the marketing that’s surrounded the pet food industry, but it hasn’t influenced the product," he said.
The Farmer's Dog comes with a higher price tag, from about $40 to hundreds of dollars a month.
Regev said he hopes the commercial strikes a chord with many, and can help spur change in the pet food industry.
"It was almost like this moment of solidarity among dog lovers who want to take care of their dogs the best way they can," he said.
