Fancy Feast already has one of the most recognizable brand identities in pet food. So what would a humor branding agency do differently? Watch Semiserious reimagine Fancy Feast’s brand strategy live and figure out how to out-luxury the Rolls-Royce of luxury cat food.
We cover luxury pet food positioning, the humanization-of-pets trend, how @PurinaFancyFeast competes with premium newcomers, naming alternatives, and campaign concepts that lean into the absurdity of treating your cat like royalty.
This episode is for pet food marketers, CPG brand strategists, cat enthusiasts, and anyone whose cat eats better than they do. As you’ll see, the cat did not get our tongues on this very fancy episode of “Can They Brand That?®.”
Bonus, we stuck around for a Q&A and got to gab about the most common mistake we see brands making, the AI slopification of creativity, and our take on whether or not every brand should be funny. Hosted by: Allie LeFevere and Lyndsay Rush Sanders
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro, Show Rundown, Best Friend Banter, and Discussing Today’s Branding Challenge: Can They Brand Purina Fancy Feast with Humor?
14:33 The Brainstorm Begins!
21:24 Pitching Fancy Feast: Brand Refresh Ideas & Repositioning Strategy, Our Best and Wildest Digital and OOH Campaigns, Stunts, and Activation Ideas About Cat Food
47:53 Mascot O’Clock [Funny Brand Mascot Ideation]
53:35 Hired or Fired [Should Purina Fancy Feast Hire Us? Best Ideas in Review]
Key Branding Ideas from This Episode:
- The power of improvisation in branding is rooted in embracing risk and unexpected ideas.
- The core principle is that the willingness to chase bad or surprising ideas unlocks innovation and authentic creativity.
- Believing that only perfect ideas succeed limits creative potential. Adopting improv’s acceptance of uncertainty fosters breakthrough strategies.
- Humor as a strategic differentiator transforms brands into likable, memorable entities.
- Injecting humor and personality into branding makes consumers more connected and loyal.
- Brands that leverage humor stand out in saturated markets and build emotional rapport, turning entertainment into sales.
- Nostalgia combined with modern twists creates fertile ground for reimagining established brands.
- Reviving nostalgia allows brands to tap into loyalty, then surprise audiences with innovative concepts.
- Nostalgic brands can refresh their appeal by adding unexpected, humorous, or fanciful elements, extending relevance.
- The mental model of “fun sells” emphasizes that engaging, enjoyable branding yields stronger consumer connections.
- Brands that prioritize fun cultivate positive associations that drive loyalty and differentiation.
- Seriousness isn’t a competitive advantage; playful brands tend to be more memorable and shareable.
- Risk-taking and playful experimentation are underutilized business principles that unlock unique brand positioning.
- Daring to pursue absurd, exaggerated, or satirical ideas builds distinctiveness and stands out from overly safe competitors.
- The mentality of “letting ideas cook” or doing “stupid ideas” fosters authenticity and human connection, crucial in a digital, automated era.
- Moving beyond traditional safety nets transforms brand development into a playground for differentiation.
- Companies resistant to humor or novelty may miss contagious opportunities for engagement and growth.
- Leveraging absurdity and exaggeration as intentional brand strategies adds a layer of memorability and cultural relevance.
- Hyperbole and satire captivate attention through their playful exaggeration.
Semiserious is a female-founded humor branding agency for CPG brands. Their sweet spot is working with founder-led or venture-backed DTC startups to build brands using comedy as a core strategy to help brands stand out in a crowded market. Their roster includes industry darlings like Clif Bar, Native, Blue Bunny, Waterboy, Pie, Argent, JOI, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, Yogi Tea, Choice Organics, GEN Z, The University of Chicago, Alleyoop, Better Than Booze, Backwoods, Bad Rabbit, U Suck at Golf, Hobbyist, and the Dallas Cowboys, but they would never brag about it in their bio. This funny branding agency has offices in Chicago and Nashville, but works with clients globally.
Say hi or snoop around:
🔔 Subscribe for weekly branding brainstorms → https://www.youtube.com/@semiseriousagency
📺 Watch the full Can They Brand That?® show series → https://bit.ly/can-they-brand-that-playlist
🌐 Work with Semiserious: https://semiseriousagency.com/
ICYMI, this show exists 1) to champion originality and creativity in a sea of AI slop, 2) to show potential clients the power and value of fun as a consumer-converting strategy, and 3) to bring some much-needed levity into the world where we can.
#FancyFeastBranding #CanTheyBrandThat #HumorBranding #BrandStrategy #FunnyMarketing
