Mars Australia and Amazon Ads have released the results of their DINE ‘Cat Decoder’ campaign via EssenceMediacom. It is a full-funnel experience by Amazon Ads to reveal what your cat is really thinking.
Mars’ DINE brand sought to strengthen its positioning while reaching younger adult cat owners at scale. Research shows that while a majority cat owners enjoy spoiling their pets, their best intentions often miss the mark. The brand needed an approach that could address disconnect, drive awareness and simultaneously convert new customers.
Amazon Ads Brand Innovation Lab developed a custom-built interactive tool using AWS AI that transformed cats’ behaviours into personalised video “translations”. Pet owners could upload photos and select how they interact with their feline companions. The AI-powered tool then generated an animated video of their cats revealing what they might be thinking.
It was delivered across the Amazon canvas, including on Prime Video, the Amazon.com.au homepage, online video, display. The campaign amassed over 29.3 million impressions and drove significant business impact, including: 73 per cent increase in units sold on Amazon during the campaign period; 36 per cent of sales from new-to-brand store shoppers; 2.2 per cent offline sales uplift across the broader DINE brand, with 2.9 per cent uplift across DINE products to the likes of the Classic Collection, Fillets.
Mars and Brand Innovation Lab also deployed a TikTok-first creator strategy, meeting younger cat owners where they already turn to for entertainment and pet inspiration.
The campaign partnered with featured cat influencers including Aimee Leigh (@its.aimeeleigh), Jessie Pearce (@jessieadamopearce), Maple Ginger Boy (@maplegingerboi) and Isabelle Petzl-Duncan (@isabellepetzl).
Through these creators the campaign reached 5.5 million cat owners, delivering 33 million impressions and 5.1 million engagements, with an additional 1.9 million views generated through organic creator content.
Marni Crookes digital media and content director at Mars ANZ said: “At Mars, we’re driven to create a better world for pets, and DINE has always been about delighting cat’s and their owners, and this breakthrough Cat Decoder campaign allowed us to deliver on those promises,
“Partnering with Amazon Ads and EssenceMediacom enabled us to push beyond traditional advertising and create an engaging personalised experience that reinforced the premium positioning of DINE. It’s a great example of how creativity and technology can work hand in hand to reach new audiences and deliver meaningful growth for brands”.
EssenceMediacom managing director Carl Colman said the DINE Cat Decoder campaign showcases the “power of breakthrough thinking and integrated strategy in unlocking brand growth”.
He added: “Its effectiveness stemmed from building a media strategy around Amazon Ads’ innovative ‘Cat Decoder’ concept, seamlessly leveraging Amazon’s powerful browsing and shopping insights with a broad-reaching, creator led TikTok strategy. This approach delivered scalability and enabled Mars to connect directly with younger cat owners across and beyond Amazon’s canvas, successfully engaging new shoppers and driving significant acquisitions.”
