The Canadian specialty retailer Ren’s Pets, which operates approximately 60 stores in Ontario and the Maritimes, is launching O’Select kitty litter in Ontario. Campaign messaging includes “cat, what cat?” and “go odour-free, not cat free,” which is bolstered by the brand’s 50-day odour-free promise.

“O’Select takes care of the challenges that come with being a cat parent, allowing them to relish all the joys without any of the drawbacks, such as unwanted odours,” says Alexandra St-Germain, brand manager for Groupe Legault, which acquired Ren’s Pets in 2021 and manufactures three O’Select lines of hygiene and cleanliness products for pets. “With the introduction of O’Select in all Ren’s Pets locations, we’re excited to bring this brand to the Ontario market, just as we have done in Quebec.”

This is the first project for the brand by agency partner Berners Bowie Lee (BBL). Co-founder Michael Murray says it’s rare to work on a product with such a clear USP. “When we heard about the 50-day odour-free promise, it was a no-brainer to build the campaign around it,” Murray says. “The insight behind the campaign is that the first thing guests notice about a home with a cat is the smell of its litter. But when you switch to O’Select, it’s as if the cat isn’t there.”

Each execution shows a cat hiding in various places around the home, furry paws poking out behind curtains and bed linens and a little face half-hidden behind a wall.

Murray says the demo is current customers, but a secondary objective is to build awareness for the brand itself in Ontario. The launch coincides with the holiday season.

BBL also handled the media planning, with the approximately four-week campaign running in DOOH in the GTA and five secondary markets. Targeted wild posters ran around specific Ren’s Pets location as well as social.