They’re as much a part of Brazil’s street culture as football and coxinha but the caramelo dogs that roam Brazil’s cities have only just begun to get the official love they deserve. Following the rise of caramelo influencers on TikTok and YouTube, and a popular campaign to get the mixed-breed dog on Brazil’s banknotes, it’s Pedigree’s turn to capitalise on the national affection for the caramel-coloured mutts.
Their new advert, created with AlmapBBDO, launches a much broader media campaign around caramelos with the starting point being the story of a woman who wanted to enter her beloved pet into a dog show, only for it to be turned away for being a mixed-breed animal. Why, ask Pedigree, should one of the most-loved dogs in the country, and a national icon, be excluded from these shows?
"PEDIGREE® sees the Caramelo not only as an icon of Brazilian culture but also as a representative of mixed-breed dogs. While awareness of animal abandonment is growing, factors like appearance, age, and coat color still directly impact these animals' chances of being adopted. PEDIGREE® is an inclusive brand - just like the Caramelo - and we believe that together, we can raise awareness and invite everyone to join this movement. Our goal is to make the most common dog in shelters - our beloved Vira-Lata Caramelo - the most adopted dog in the country."
Rodrigo Alfieri
Gerente Global de Marketing de PEDIGREE®
That forms the basis of the campaign, which promises to elevate the status of caramelos so they get all the advantages pure-breed dogs have. That includes a big investment in genetic research to properly identify what makes a caramelo, and special dog shows and a Kennel Club for the breed. The ad ends with a shot of a dog happily munching on Pedigree dog food and the tagline – “The Official Food Of Caramelo”
The ad is well-timed, with caramelo dogs at a peak of popularity, and it allows Pedigree to lead a social movement in the country, positioning itself as on the side of ordinary people and the dogs they love. There’s also a broader purpose for the brand, which is using the caramelo campaign to promote dog adoption. As the most popular mixed-breed dog in the country, the caramelo is the perfect mascot for this effort, as mixed-breeds make up a very high proportion of the tens of thousands of dogs abandoned in Brazil each year.
From an emotional perspective, the ad is heavy on description and voiceover, which is often a disadvantage in advertising as it can reduce the intensity of emotional response. But in this case Pedigree have the perfect counter to that risk: the ad lets them show dozens of adorable dogs, ending up with that final ‘hero shot’ of the dog enjoying the product.
It’s a good example of how a video commercial can work as the centre of a broader brand campaign, with plenty of opportunities for future events, like the caramelo dog show. It also lets Pedigree tap into the online influencer culture of Brazil, as the original drive to support and recognise caramelo as a breed came via TikTok and other social platforms.
"For those who are completely passionate about dogs, creating a campaign for PEDIGREE® to encourage adoption is a huge honor. Our creative challenge was to turn the Caramelo into a true emblem of the cause, redefining its image in a positive and impactful way. We want people to see it not just as an ordinary dog, but as a symbol of love, loyalty, and companionship - qualities that make any dog special, regardless of breed."
Marco Giannelli (Pernil)
CCO da AlmapBBDO
How do the audience react to the campaign, though? The ad strongly gets its basic message across, with “adoption” ranking close to “Caramelo” on the list of key associations audiences take away. There’s also a huge positive response to the video, which scores 4.9-Stars on the Test Your Ad platform. This is more than two entire Star Ratings ahead of the average for Brazil TV ads, and predicts very strong brand-building effects long-term given the right level of investment. Finally, the ad gets a good rating for Brand Fluency (rapid brand recognition), again above the average.
Dog adoption and rescue is the right cause for Pedigree, firmly aligned with its values as a dog food for every breed, and the caramelo angle gives it an entertaining (and very cute!) way to talk about that without creating any negative emotion. With its excellent Star Rating, this campaign is a strong example of how a brand can use social purpose well.
"A global brand like Pedigree®, dedicated to feeding, caring for, and supporting the adoption of thousands of dogs worldwide, could never accept that having or not having a breed determines a dog’s worth or guarantees them a home.
With this in mind, we set out to prove that breed doesn’t matter - because to us, all dogs deserve to have ‘pedigree.’ This reinforces our purpose: to do good for ALL dogs. That’s how Project Caramelo was born - a unique opportunity to bring the conversation around adoption to the local market in an innovative and relevant way.
After all, embracing the ‘Caramelo’ dog is a direct connection to something every Brazilian can relate to. It’s amazing to see that, according to System1’s analysis, positive emotions like joy, happiness, and inspiration are resonating in our communication. Even more importantly, these emotions are helping encourage more people to open their homes to Caramelos everywhere."
David Gross
Head of Strategy, AlmapBBDO
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