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Friskies: LSD for Cats

Posted by Will Smith on 03/04/2010

If you haven’t seen it yet, get a gander at this commercial for Friskies cat food:

Wow!  If that’s what eating Friskies does to you, screw the cats; I’m eating a bag of the stuff.  This commercial certainly gets points for holding my interest, mostly because it’s so bizarre.  It appears that eating Friskies will send your cat on an acid trip, though a cat on acid probably behaves exactly the same as a cat not on acid.  The selling proposition:  if you want to indulge your cat in mind-altering fantasies, buy Friskies.

Did Friskies forget that cats don’t watch TV or shop for groceries?  This commercial seems aimed directly at the cat demographic instead of the more important cat owner demographic.  I’m willing to bet that most consumers don’t shop for cat food based on which one is guaranteed to get Mr. Bigglesworth high.

When I buy cat food, my first hope is that my cats will actually eat it.  Some cats are picky eaters, so reassuring me on the food’s appeal is a valid selling point.  More importantly, though, is the hope that my cats might actually eat this stuff without throwing it up inside of 15 minutes.  There’s nothing quite as awful as cleaning feline vomit off of my couch, and I’m pretty sure cats can hurl on command and out of spite.  Any food my cats will keep down is a product I’m definitely interested in.

I doubt I’m alone in my shopping habits in this category.   When selling the benefits of pet products, it’s probably important to demonstrate benefits to the pet and the pet owner.  Food that the pet likes and that it can digest easily make both of us happy.  But selling a kitty acid trip?  Sorry…I just don’t care.

If I were selling cat food, I think my commercial might say something like “Imagine your world free of cat barf.  Buy Friskies.  Your cats will eat it, and it won’t make them throw up.”  It might not be pleasant to the ears, but it beats the sound of a cat recycling its breakfast.