Beyond the Adorable: Smalls’ Bold Campaign Redefines Cat Advertising Through Abstract Expression

In a landscape saturated with predictable feline cuteness, cat food brand Smalls has launched a daring and unconventional advertising campaign that eschews the obvious for the abstract, captivating audiences and challenging the very definition of what constitutes effective pet product marketing. The campaign, characterized by its enigmatic phrases and evocative imagery, is not merely selling cat food; it’s building a sophisticated brand language that resonates deeply with the nuanced personality of cats and the discerning tastes of their owners.

The Conventional Cat in Advertising: A Familiar Trope

For decades, the portrayal of cats in advertising has largely adhered to a predictable formula: "make the cat cute." This approach, while seemingly logical given the undeniable appeal of kittens and cuddly companions, often results in campaigns that are forgettable and interchangeable. As Christopher Hitchens famously quipped, "Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods." This inherent dichotomy, this regal independence and enigmatic allure, is precisely what many advertisers fail to tap into.

The author of the original piece highlights this missed opportunity, lamenting that "Nine times out of ten, they just go with ‘Make the cat cute.’ That’s all." While the ubiquity of cute cat memes on platforms like Instagram demonstrates a clear market for feline charm, this approach often falls short of truly engaging consumers on a deeper level. It prioritizes immediate, superficial appeal over lasting brand connection.

Smalls’ Paradigm Shift: The "Is Cat" Campaign

Enter Smalls, a cat food brand that has boldly diverged from this well-trodden path. Their latest poster campaign is a masterclass in conceptual advertising, deliberately omitting any direct representation of their product. Instead, it presents a series of intriguing phrases, each culminating in the declaration, "… is cat." This abstract approach, initially perplexing, reveals its brilliance upon closer examination and exposure to multiple iterations of the campaign.

Campaign Highlights:

• "Getting the good spot is cat": This phrase, presented in warm brown typography against a butter-yellow background, is accompanied by an image of a ginger tomcat sprawled imperiously across a carpet, basking in a solitary sunbeam. It perfectly encapsulates the feline talent for claiming prime real estate with an air of undeniable ownership.
• "Irish exiting is cat": Paired with a visual of a cat elegantly slipping out of frame past someone’s ankles, this slogan captures the quintessential feline maneuver of disappearing without a trace, often at the most inconvenient moments.
• "Solitude is cat": This simple yet profound statement speaks to the cat’s well-known appreciation for personal space and independent contemplation.
• "A dirty martini is cat": This seemingly incongruous pairing invites deeper thought, suggesting shared characteristics of sophistication, a hint of indulgence, and a certain enigmatic quality.
• "Smalls is cat": The most direct statement, this positions the brand itself as embodying the core essence of "catness."

These slogans, along with others like "Tomfoolery is cat" and "Parallel play is cat," form a cohesive yet diverse collection that taps into the multifaceted nature of feline behavior and personality. The campaign’s visual aesthetic is equally distinctive, employing a limited color palette of warm yellows and browns, often featuring striking, high-quality photography of cats in natural, relatable poses.

The Strategic Brilliance: Trusting the Audience and Building a Brand Language

The Smalls campaign’s most significant strength lies in its audacious trust in the consumer. It doesn’t spoon-feed meaning; rather, it invites the audience to participate in deciphering the message. This cognitive engagement is far more powerful than passive consumption of a predictable advertisement.

Key Strategic Elements:

• Intellectual Provocation: The campaign challenges the audience to think. Phrases like "A dirty martini is cat" might not have a literal interpretation, but for those who understand both cats and the allure of a well-made dirty martini, the connection becomes clear. Both represent a refined independence, a pursuit of personal satisfaction on one’s own terms, with a healthy disregard for external judgment. This shared philosophy creates an unexpected but potent brand association.
• Nostalgic Resonance: For a certain demographic, particularly those who grew up with the internet’s early meme culture, the campaign’s slightly ungrammatical and playfully abstract phrasing evokes a sense of nostalgia. The echo of phrases like "I Can Has Cheezburger" taps into a shared cultural memory, creating an instant, albeit subconscious, connection.
• Creation of a Brand Lexicon: Smalls is not just running an ad campaign; it is establishing an entire brand language. The "X is cat" template is infinitely adaptable. It can be applied to behaviors, preferences, moods, or even abstract concepts. This linguistic flexibility ensures the brand can evolve and remain relevant, generating intrigue with increasingly unique and even "odder" metaphors. The more unexpected the association, the more likely consumers are to pay attention and remember the brand.
• Subverting the "Explain-it-to-Death" Model: In stark contrast to the common practice of over-explaining brand messages, Smalls embraces the power of suggestion and repetition. The belief that even a seemingly "daft" phrase can acquire meaning through consistent exposure is a testament to the campaign’s creative courage. This minimalist approach allows the inherent wit and subtlety of the concept to shine through, avoiding the cluttered messaging that often dilutes other brand communications.

Implications for the Advertising Industry and Brand Building

The success of the Smalls "Is Cat" campaign has significant implications for the broader advertising and branding landscape.

• Reimagining Pet Product Marketing: It demonstrates that advertising for pet products doesn’t have to rely solely on overt cuteness. By tapping into the deeper, more complex emotional and behavioral aspects of pet ownership, brands can forge more meaningful connections with their target audience.
• The Power of Abstract Communication: The campaign underscores the effectiveness of abstract and conceptual advertising when executed thoughtfully. It proves that challenging consumers intellectually can be more rewarding and memorable than simple appeals to emotion or familiarity.
• Building Brand Equity Through Language: Smalls’ approach highlights the importance of developing a unique and adaptable brand language. This linguistic framework can become a powerful asset, fostering brand recognition, recall, and a sense of brand personality that extends far beyond individual campaigns.
• Courageous Creative Risk-Taking: In an industry often driven by caution, Smalls’ willingness to experiment and embrace unconventional ideas is a refreshing testament to the rewards of creative bravery. While some may dismiss the campaign as quirky, its potential to cut through the noise and resonate deeply with a specific audience is undeniable.

The Smalls "Is Cat" campaign is more than just an advertisement; it’s a statement. It’s a declaration that cats are complex, fascinating creatures deserving of advertising that reflects their unique spirit. By daring to be different, by trusting its audience, and by crafting a brand language as enigmatic and captivating as cats themselves, Smalls is not just selling cat food; it’s redefining what it means to advertise to a discerning and appreciative audience. And as the campaign itself suggests, this kind of bold, intelligent marketing is precisely what "is cat."