Christopher Guest Returns With More Hilarious Best in Show Spoofs for PetSmart

During the Oscars, PetSmart and Christopher Guest launched a pretty excellent campaign themed around Best in Show. Now, they’re back with more.

The new material from GSD&M is particularly reminiscent of Parker Posey and Michael Hitchcock as Meg and Hamilton Swan, who, in the movie, love J. Crew (and other clothing catalogs). But the man and woman in this latest ad, “The Avant Guardians,” are more haute, if equally insane, describing themselves, and their dog, as “fashion forward.”

That’s to say, in keeping with the Best in Show tradition, they ridiculously project all kinds of human qualities on their coddled shih tzu, Ford (presumably a nod to Tom Ford). And because it’s Guest-directed, the delivery is awkward in a perfect kind of way, with the actors ping-ponging between nonchalant and over the top, making crazy eyes and stammering out too-enthusiastic punch lines.

It almost makes it easy to forget that it’s a sales pitch. Then again, that’s pretty easy to do when you’re basically just copying a classic … even if by inbreeding.

CREDITS
Client: PetSmart
VP Marketing Communications: Shane McCall
Director, Traditional Creative: Valerie Lederer
Assoc. Creative Manager, Traditional Creative: Tara Niederhaus
Dir., Marketing Strategy and Nat’l Promotions: Debbie Beisswanger
Creative Manager- Store Environment: Chris Windsor
Project Manager, Salon Strategy: Megan Mouser
Titles: “The Avant Guardians” :15/:30; “Nooks and Crannies” 2:18
Agency: GSD&M
Group Creative Director/Art Director: Scott Brewer
Group Creative Director/Writer: Ryan Carroll
Assoc. Creative Director/Art Director: Ross Aboud
Assoc. Creative Director/Writer: Kevin Dunleavy
Art Director: Morgan McDonald
Writer: Scott Chalkley
Agency Producer: Abigail Hinojosa
Associate Agency Producer: Adriane Weist
Business Manager: Lindsay Wakabayashi
SVP/Managing Director: Scott Moore
Account Director: Sabia Sidiqi
Account Supervisor: Ben Creasey
Account Manager: Nadia Elias
Production Company: GO
Director: Christopher Guest
Managing Director: Gary Rose
Executive Producer: Adam Bloom
Executive Producer: Catherine Finkenstaedt
Line Producer: Mark Hyatt
DP: Kristian Kachikis
Editorial: Mackenzie Cutler
Editor: Gavin Cutler



Christopher Guest Channels Best in Show for Brilliantly Bizarre PetSmart Ads

If you were a fan of Christopher Guest’s classic movie Best in Show, PetSmart has the perfect campaign for you.

The brand, with agency GDS&M, hired the writer, actor and filmmaker to direct a set of commercials in his signature mockumentary style, under the tagline “Partners in Pethood.” The results are, unsurprisingly, great. 

Like the movie, which Guest co-wrote and directed, the campaign features a parade of awkward, pet-obsessed nutjobs—including two played by Anna Faris and Jennifer Coolidge—who deliver their various quirks in perfect deadpan.

Faris plays a ditzy, catty dog owner throwing a birthday party for her terrier. In a second ad, Coolidge, a veteran Guest talent, nails the overbearing mother-in-law act in the campaign’s best, and riskiest, clip—the interplay with her character’s son is pretty spectacular.

Both ads broke during the Oscars on Sunday night—in 30-second versions—and three more spots are worth watching for more ridiculous, doting pet lovers.

There are even some good extra tidbits in the behind-the-scenes video, which goes out of its way to strengthen the somewhat odd “Pethood” positioning.

“When I hear the term ‘Pethood,’ it makes me want to give my child up—I have a human child—and just be the mommy to a bunch of animal,” says Faris. Adds Coolidge, “I never really liked my children, but I sure love my animals.”

In other words, it’s is a wonky portmanteau, but pokes fun at its target consumers in just the right spirit. And while Big Lots took a swing at treating pets like people in its focus-group themed spots last fall, the talent, pacing, and heritage here blow any competition out of the water.

CREDITS
Client: PetSmart
EVP Customer Experience: Phil Bowman
VP Marketing Communications: Shane McCall
Sr. Creative, Content Developer: Valerie Lederer
Assoc. Creative Manager, TV & Video: Tara Niederhaus
Agency: GSD&M
Group Creative Director/Art Director: Scott Brewer
Group Creative Director/Writer: Ryan Carroll
Assoc. Creative Director/Art Director: Ross Aboud
Assoc. Creative Director/Writer: Kevin Dunleavy
Account Director: Scott Moore
Account Supervisor: Brittany Hammer
Account Manager: Lauren Bradshaw
SVP, Director of Production: Jack Epsteen
Agency Producer: Monique Veillette
Associate Agency Producer: Adrian Weist
Production Company: GO
Director: Christopher Guest
Managing Director: Gary Rose
Executive Producer: Adam Bloom
Executive Producer: Catherine Finkenstaedt
Producer: Mark Hyatt
DP: Kristian Kachikis
Editorial: Mackenzie Cutler
Editor: Gavin Cutler



GSD&M Takes PetSmart to the Oscars

GSD&M is launching a humorous campaign for PetSmart, entitled “Partners in Pethood,” with broadcast ads debuting during the Academy Awards.

The full-length versions of the spots ere uploaded to the rband’s YouTube page yesterday. Both take a satirical look at how people treat their pets like they are their children. The tone and content should be familiar to anyone who has seen the classic 2000 Christopher Guest mockumentary Best in Show, which is hardly a surprise since Guest directed the spots. One of the ads, “Smoochie and Alamoochie” features a perennial cast member in Guest’s films, Jennifer Coolidge. The other spot, “Stanley is Five” stars Anna Faris as a dog mom throwing a fifth (or 35th) birthday party. Both ads are a lot better than the typical fare in the category, undoubtedly thanks in no small part to Guest’s talents. Here’s hoping GSD&M and PetSmart work with him again in the future.

Portal A Helps Vichy Make Fat Funny

Portal A’s new mockumentary for L’Oreal’s Vichy Skin Care may make it a little easier for women to laugh at their own cellulite follies. Forgive me, I may not be familiar with some of these techniques: Body shapers? The shake belt? Butt vacuuming? (Butt vacuuming is one of those concepts that is so absurd, at least to my guy perspective, that it could also be legitimate). So, if you have two minutes to spare, watch some women indulge in body image self-deprication. This video may not compare to the Christopher Guest oeuvre, but listening to people make fun of themselves is always a comforting form of comedy.

Of course, after ribbing women who struggle to attain the perfect body, the end of the video shows the lower-half of a lady with flawlessly toned legs and skin that is tan and smooth. I guess Vichy wants to have their cake and eat it, too. Or something like that. Credits after the jump.

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