PetSmart Jumpstarts the Joy and Delivers Tail Wags for the Holidays

At a time when many marketers are chasing value-driven shoppers, this holiday season, PetSmart is betting on emotion and joy - specifically, the kind that has four legs and a wagging tail.

Entitled 'PetSmart Jumpstarts the Joy,' the new campaign from Deutsch, starring a diverse cast of talented pets of many species, builds on the brand’s trusted retail reputation with emotional resonance. Anchored by a magical in-store 'portal' and narrated with a clever twist on ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, the campaign celebrates how pet parents turn to PetSmart to make the season bright. Shot in a real PetSmart store and a family home in Phoenix, the creative juxtaposes real life with retail holiday enchantment.

By focusing on warmth over spectacle, PetSmart and Deutsch remind shoppers that the real holiday magic lives in these simple, shared interactions - proving that even when spending tightens, people never stop finding joy (and splurging a little) for the ones they love most… their pets.

Grounded in research showing that over 80% of shoppers say spending on their pets brings them more joy than any other purchase, the campaign redefines what “value” means by focusing on connection and joy over cost. It’s a move that mirrors wider retail trends as consumers, especially gen z and millennial shoppers, are supplementing their digital shopping and searching for emotionally resonant in-store experiences and IRL shopping where they can see, touch, try or compare products. It’s emotional economics in action—and PetSmart’s campaign taps directly into it.

The holiday campaign is full 360 running across Linear, CTV, OLV, Paid Social, Search. Unique videos lean into key seasonal moments, highlighting the ways PetSmart is supporting pet parents across November shopping, Black Friday, holiday grooming, photos with Santa,autoship, last minute gifting and same day delivery.

In-store moments including free photos with Santa December 13th and 14th and bookings for pets’ holiday groom.