Sophie Forman
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The Farmer's Dog — Forever

Super Bowl 2023 — US Today Ad Meter Winner
2023 Emmy Nominee

The Farmer’s Dog, as a fundamentally new product within the category, has largely focused on direct response advertising since its inception. We’ve needed to explain to consumers what fresh food is and why they should make the switch from kibble — for their dog’s health and longevity.

Yet as the company entered its eighth year of existence and a quickly growing customer base, we knew we needed to cross the chasm from early adopters to a much broader Gen Pop audience. We needed a different kind of campaign: one that spoke to what we stood for as a brand, and connected emotionally rather than logically.

So we set out to tell a story that embodied our tagline “Long Live Dogs” — a two-pronged message that expresses our commitment to helping dogs live their longest, healthiest lives, and our celebration of dogs as the incredible creatures they are. So Forever began as a simple idea on a Google Slides page: What if we showed a young girl and her puppy growing up into her adult and his senior years, and what it means to get more time with your best friend?

The ad’s road to the Super Bowl was unexpected, with a last-minute 60 second buy as the direct result of TFD leadership’s confidence in the finished product. The response was even less expected — the AdMeter win, the massive response on Twitter, the UGC videos, the earned media. We continue to be bowled over by the deep connection the country has had to Ava and Bear.

Creative Directors: Teressa Iezzi and Sophie Forman⁠ | Executive Producer: Sherri Levy | Director: Goh Iromoto
Production: Sanctuary Content | Line Producer: Pete Vitale | DOP: Alexis Zabe | Production Designer: Chris Jones⁠

⁠Editorial: Cartel | Editor: Sophia Lou | Color: Royal Muster | Colorist: Greg Reese| Online: Transformer⁠ | Audio: Soundlounge | Mixer: Tom Jucarone⁠

Music: Lee Fields “Forever”⁠ | Music Supervision: Good Ear Music Supervision

Animal Trainer Co: Worldwide Movie Animals | Head Animal Trainer: Kimberly Andrews | Casting: Sonnenberg Casting
Cast (human):⁠ Maurielle Chapman⁠, Sofia Salvaggio, Maasai Godwin, Cyann Ribeiro, Tripp Hazard⁠, Lennon Meredith Epand⁠, Sophia Grace Lee⁠
Cast (with paws):⁠ Wayne⁠, Sammy⁠, Princess⁠, Bolt⁠, and Blue

Forever — Extended Cut

Forever — Director’s Cut

Forever — Case Study

Forever — Vimeo Interview

Teasers helped build anticipation for our Super Bowl ad, and introduce the nation to Ava and Bear. Below are our general teaser, as well as a puppy-themed teaser spot created for the Puppy Bowl.

Forever — General Teaser

Forever — Puppy Bowl Teaser

Additional :30, :15, and :06 second cuts ran throughout broadcast, streaming, and social. Below is an example of a “vignette” cut that expanded one scene in the film to tell a richer complete story about Ava and Bear’s life together.

Forever — Beach Social Short

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