Hey, dogs need to eat too. DoorDash has announced a new partnership with PetSmart to enable on-demand delivery of pet food, supplies, and accessories through its on-demand delivery platform.
The partnership gives DoorDash the opportunity to shift consumer perceptions away from being merely a food-delivery company. “As we continue to accelerate our entry into new categories, including pets, to meet consumers’ adapting on-demand needs, we were thrilled by the opportunity to work with PetSmart to provide pet owners with the essential items they need for their furry friends,” said Mariota Essery, executive creative director at DoorDash.
To introduce the partnership, DoorDash has launched a multi-channel marketing campaign featuring NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace and his dog, Asher. The centerpiece of the campaign is a 30-second television commercial (“Asher the Dasher”) in which Asher rides around in a DoorDash and PetSmart branded car delivering goods to a cat, a fish, and other pets, while a soundtrack plays the song, “I’ve Got a Dog and My Dog’s Name is Cat” by Barry Louis Polisar. The whole endeavor, however, turns out to be just a dream, though Wallace, in waking Asher, reveals he recently shopped at PetSmart through DoorDash. .
“As a proud new pet owner himself, this was a great opportunity to work with both Bubba and Asher and see their bond come to life authentically on screen,” Essery said. “As we continue to expand into new categories, we want to help pet owners like Bubba get the same convenience of store-to-door delivery of pet essentials for their furry friends that they have come to expect with their own orders.”
The “Asher the Dasher” spot began running on television networks earlier this week. Additional video content will premiere on social and digital channels, Essery said. Taken as a whole, the campaign is meant to reinforce the idea that “DoorDash delivers the best of your neighborhood,” she said.
