A new campaign from WHISKAS and Uber Eats in New Zealand, via AMV BBDO, has made it possible for hungry cats to order their own dinner.
‘Pocket Dial’, a limited edition button created in a partnership with Uber Eats, lets hungry cats send an alert to their human and adds a free sample of their new dry kibble range, WHISKAS Dry NOW with POCKETS, to their Uber Eats cart.
Dial’ buttons.
It comes as new research commissioned by WHISKAS shows feeding anxiety is real among Kiwi cat parents, with 44 per cent admitting they feel guilty or confused they may not always be meeting their cat’s hunger needs.
Almost half (49 per cent) believe that if their cat could talk, they’d be very clear about what they want to eat. With 27 per cent of cat owners agreeing that their cat already runs the household, it’s little surprise that more than half (53 per cent) say a device that lets their cat signal when they’re hungry would be genuinely helpful.
It’s not the first time the brand has done a campaign of this sort, after they went on a mission to turn ‘cat haters’ into ‘cat lovers’ in an adoption campaign via CHEP Network, AMV BBDO London + EssenceMediacom, in March last year.
And in March 2024, WHISKA’s launched a campaign with a mission to find a new breed of dog, as research found more people were looking for low-maintenance dogs.
The ‘Meowzer’ was created – an animal suspiciously similar to a cat. The campaign was developed by Colenso BBDO.
In response to WHISKA’s new campaign, cat-lover and proud pet parent Polly ‘PJ’ Harding says the power dynamic at home was already clear – this just makes it official.
“Let’s be honest – my cat already thinks she’s in charge. This just gives her a very official way to tell me she wants dinner. It’s hilarious, but it’s also genuinely useful – and anything that keeps my cat happy is a win.”
Ahead of the launch, Harding has been putting the ‘Pocket Dial’ button to the test at home, using the campaign training kit to teach her cat Josephine how to press the button when
hunger strikes.
“I won’t pretend it was instant – there was a lot of sniffing, staring at me, and walking away like I’d offended her, but once we linked the button to food, it clicked pretty quickly. Now, instead of being followed around the house or meowed at from the kitchen, I just get a
notification. It’s honestly been a game-changer – for both of us.”
Cats are famously fussy for a reason. Behavioural research shows many cats can quickly reject their food at mealtimes, refusing new variants or declining to eat all together. Texture matters too, with studies indicating cats are highly responsive to differences in mouthfeel, which can directly influence engagement at mealtimes.
Shane Hammond, Market Director at Mars New Zealand, said cats have always been excellent communicators – we just haven’t always understood the message.
“When hunger strikes, cats don’t stay quiet. From attention-seeking meows and intense eye contact to learned behaviours like following their humans or pawing at empty bowls, they’re surprisingly strategic communicators. The ‘Pocket Dial’ taps into these natural instincts, giving cats a clear way to signal mealtime, and helping humans respond with food designed around what cats naturally enjoy, like our new WHISKAS dry with POCKETS™ kibble range.”
The launch also reflects how New Zealanders are increasingly turning to on-demand delivery for everyday essentials – including pet care.
To celebrate the launch, WHISKAS and Uber Eats will release a limited number of ‘Pocket Dial’ buttons, available for New Zealand cat owners to register their interest and sample the new WHISKAS dry kibble range, featuring irresistible POCKETS kibble.
CREDITS
PR & Talent – Enthral
Media – Zenith
Creative – AMV BBDO
Client – WHISKAS NZ
