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 GSD&M, hired the writer, actor and filmmaker to direct a set of commercials in his signature mockumentary style, under the slogan "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 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 Title: "PetSmart: Partners in Pethood" Agency: GSD&M Chief Creative Officer: Jay Russell Group Creative Directors: Scott Brewer, Ryan Carroll Associate Creative Director, Art Director: Ross Aboud Associate Creative Director, Copywriter: Kevin Dunleavy Art Director: Morgan McDonald Copywriter: Scott Chalkley Director of Production: Jack Epsteen Producer: Monique Veillette Associate Producer: Adriane Weast Business Affairs: Mellissa Mathias Account Leadership: Scott Moore, Sabia Siddiqi, Brittany Hammer, Lauren Bradshaw Project Management: Sara Rosales Experience and Insights: Andrew Teagle, Rene Huey-Lipton Print Production: Ellen Hanrahan Art Production: Jessica Spruill Print Campaign Photographer: David Emmite Print Retouchers: Jeremy Kelty, Lilli Salerno Digital Production: Amy Torres Web Developer: Todd Black Studio Services: Michele Head, Summer Ortiz Production Company: Go Film Director: Christopher Guest Executive Producer: Gary Rose Producer: Mark Hyatt Editorial Company: Mackenzie Cutler Editor: Gavin Cutler Senior Assistant Editor: Ryan Steele Assistant Editor: Pamela Petruski Post Producer: Esme Wright Post Executive Producer: Sasha Hirschfeld Colorist: Fergus McCall, The Mill Visual Effects, Online: Schmidigital Flame Artist: Jim Hayhow Assistant Flame Artist: Joseph Miller Sound Design, Final Mix: Sam Shaffer, Mackenzie Cutler Original Music: HUM Music Graphics: Brad Hodgson, Perfect Form

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Christopher Guest Channels Best in Show for Brilliantly Bizarre PetSmart Ads

Anna Faris, Jennifer Coolidge star

Gabriel Beltrone

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Gabriel Beltrone