Whiskas unleashes ‘The Tiger in Your Cat’ with new campaign

Whiskas, a cat food brand, has launched the 'Switch to Whiskas - for The Tiger in Your Cat' campaign to educate pet parents about the unique dietary needs of cats. Conceptualized by 22feet Tribal Worldwide, the campaign features renowned cat enthusiasts and influencers Avinash Tiwary, Srishti Dixit, and Uorfi Javed, along with their cats Sania and Prince.

The initiative emphasizes that, despite their domestic demeanor, cats possess tiger-like instincts, necessitating species-appropriate nutrition for their well-being.

With the rise in cat ownership among urban Gen Z and Millennial pet parents in India, many first-time cat owners are unaware that their pets' nutritional needs differ significantly from those of humans or other animals.

Salil Murthy, Managing Director of Mars Petcare India, highlighted the importance of awareness: "The pet parenting landscape in India is evolving, but awareness about proper cat nutrition remains low. India continues to be one of the lowest pet food adoption markets in the world, with less than 10% of cat parents opting for scientifically formulated pet food. This is concerning because cats, as obligate carnivores, have very specific dietary requirements that typically cannot be met by homemade food or generic diets."

The campaign includes a compelling film that challenges the misconception that pets can be fed the same diet as their owners. The video showcases everyday moments where a cat's primal instincts emerge, reinforcing their genetic connection and the need for species-appropriate nutrition.

To amplify the message, Whiskas has partnered with influencers Avinash Tiwary, Srishti Dixit, and Uorfi Javed, whose deep bonds with their pet cats lend authenticity to the campaign. Their involvement ensures that the message resonates with India's digital-savvy, millennial pet parents.

The campaign will be activated through influencer collaborations, community engagement, out-of-home advertising in key urban centers, and social media integrations across Instagram, YouTube, and quick commerce platforms.

Ayesha Huda, Chief Marketing Officer of Mars Pet Nutrition India, added: "For too long, cat nutrition has been misunderstood, with many pet parents unknowingly feeding their cats diets that lack essential nutrients. Cats have unique biological and dietary needs, yet awareness about species-appropriate nutrition remains low. Through this campaign, we want to shift the mindset from simply feeding cats to truly nourishing them in alignment with their natural instincts."

Vishnu Srivatsav, Creative Head at 22feet Tribal Worldwide, explained: "Giving pets the same food we eat has been a deep-rooted habit and something that we needed to address as a pet food brand. But what we realized was, to make cat parents relook at their cat’s nutrition, we needed to make them relook at their cats. When we realized that cats share a significant portion of their genetics with tigers, we knew we had that ammunition."

This campaign reinforces Whiskas' commitment to providing 100% complete and balanced nutrition, helping pet parents unlock the best version of their cat companions. By bringing science-backed insights into everyday conversations and leveraging the voices of passionate cat lovers, Whiskas aims to empower pet parents to make informed choices that support their cat’s long-term health and well-being.

Agency: 22feet Tribal World Wide

Creative: Vishnu Srivatsav, Ishan Mehta, Diya Sarker, Jay Sangoi, Akshay Pathak, Kavya Gupta, Nupur Datar, Mohammed Nadir, Hardik Rane, Nikita Bangar, Mitali Kadam, Bhavika Gohil, Bhagyesh Kadu, Reshmi Ghosh. 

Business: Vanaja Pillai, Shikha Davessar, Sriya Banerjee, Japneet Sahni, Vinit Wala.

Strategy; Axon Alex, Rachita Goel, Edwin William, Sambhavi Sawant 

Finance: Ajay Gupta, Ajinkya Kanchavade, Tapas Baral, Deepak Kantarnaware

Also Read: New Whiskas advertisement urges India to adopt cats