ᐉ Cat breed from Sheba advertisement: photo, video

May 4, 2018

It's no secret that cats have long taken over the Internet. They attract users with their cute and funny appearance, become the heroes of numerous memes and are simply pleasing to the eye. And it is not surprising that they are the ones who more often than others become the main characters of popular cartoons and even the face, or rather, the face of many famous brands. Sheba cat food was no exception. The manufacturer featured a cute fluffy in his advertisement, who settled in the hearts of millions.

He took over the championship from his former stars: the cat Boris, known from the commercials for Kitiket food, and the cute kitten from the Whiskas commercials. One of the first options that so caught the viewer’s attention was an advertisement featuring Eva Lognoria and that very same breed of cat. Thousands of TV viewers were eager to buy the same “purr” for themselves.

positions itself as a manufacturer of super premium cat food. In addition, the manufacturer produces products and accessories for pets. Mars Inc. founded the brand back in 1985, but it appeared on the shelves of the domestic market much later. However, thanks to well-made advertising, Sheba has already managed to win the love of Russian cat owners.

What breed of cat is in the Sheba advertisement?

Cat breed in advertising for Gourmet Gold food

The luxurious coat of the Persian cat requires daily care.

Gourmet Gold food owes its popularity largely to the pussy of the Persian breed, which was filmed in a commercial. This type of animal was brought to Europe back in the 16th century from Persia, where such cats were favorites of courtiers.

The beauty has the following external characteristics:

round eyes;
large head with drooping ears;
large round body;
thick wool, the length of which can reach 12 cm;
small paws with “pants” made of wool;
fluffy tail of medium length, rounded at the end.

"Persians" come in the following colors:

white;
blue;
smoky;
striped;
black;
tortoiseshells.

Cats of this breed, like the Himalayan breed, are calm and friendly, they quickly get used to their new owners and get along well with other pets. This is the only breed of fluffy beauties that are unable to live without human care . Finding himself on the street for one reason or another, a stray “Persian” quickly dies.

The cat breed from the Sheba advertisement "Sheba"

The cat breed from the Sheba advertisement attracted special attention from viewers. This is a Russian blue cat, and the video features its representative, a cat named Nick.

Cats of this breed are very suitable for the brand concept, because they are truly aristocratic and intelligent animals - the pearl of the cat world. The tailed pets of this breed, having a beautiful, powerful physique, are very graceful and photogenic. In addition, they are highly trainable. Few people know that they also have a second, unofficial name - Arkhangelsk, since the origin of the breed comes from the territory of the Arkhangelsk Islands in Russia. In 1875, with this name, this breed was first presented to the attention of visitors to an exhibition held in London.

These cats have a characteristic dense short blue coat with silver ticking, which shimmers very intricately in the sun, and sparkling emerald-colored eyes. Pets belonging to this breed of cats, as a rule, are medium in size and have rather large, but elegant ears. Another distinctive feature is the uniquely constructed cheekbones, thanks to which the muzzle acquires a slight smile.

It is no coincidence that the Russian Blue cat was chosen as a model for the brand and was featured in food commercials - representatives of this breed are indeed great lovers of good and tasty food. So the owner must carefully monitor his pet’s diet, and it is better to choose only high-quality, balanced food for feeding it.

What commercials do cats appear in?

If a furry animal is filmed in the video, you can be sure that the TV will not be switched to another channel, and the story will be watched to the end. And there will be many such views. Along with attention to the animal, the viewer will also notice the promoted product. And these are not fantasies or assumptions.

Who else but a lazy cat, who, accompanied by classical music, advertised the “most aerodynamic production car in the world” Mercedes Benz CLA, allowed the automobile giant to end 2014 with a record sales of 1,650 thousand cars.

A little earlier, in 2013, thanks to another cat, who in the video was ready to spend his nine lives to end up inside a Toyota Corolla, the car became the best-selling car in Australia.

Nokia used a whole family of cats to advertise the new Lumia 930 smartphone.

The Swedish brand Monki invited a cat named Mosty to advertise its spring-summer 2015 clothing collection along with model Arvida Byström. By the way, the animal, before getting into the fashion business, won a competition on social networks.

Cat Maru had the honor of becoming the face of an advertising campaign for the UNIQLO clothing brand from Japan.

The cats starred in commercials for the IKEA store, the mobile operator Megafon, Puma sneakers, Arlistan coffee, and brought numerous bonuses to the companies whose products they successfully represented.

But there are representatives of the cat world who have become real screen heroes, whose fame has spread throughout the world.

Which actors starred in Sheba commercials?

It was no coincidence that the choice fell on the actress in the advertisement – Eva Longoria. In her grace, elegance and aristocracy, she is very similar to the Russian blue cat. Eva is a very famous model and businesswoman, despite the fact that television viewers remember her more as the heroine of the popular television series Desperate Housewives. However, few people know the fact that Lognoria takes an active part in the political life of the United States. Thanks to their sophistication, beauty, intelligence and strength, Eva Lognoria and the Russian Blue cat breed became a wonderful harmonious duet in an advertisement for Sheba cat food.

The updated version of the ad featured the (yet) little-known actor Brian Morabito. To date, his entire filmography fits into one short film released in 2016 called Sorry for Your Loss. Unlike the previous version with the beautiful Eva Lognoria, the new version received a mixed reaction on the Internet and gave rise to a lot of controversy. Viewers were divided into two camps: the first considered the commercial to be unusual and funny, and the second began to accuse the main character of almost bestiality. Well, here, as they say, you can’t please everyone. The hero, apparently, is indeed a big fan of cats. However, both warring camps are united by the opinion that the actor, of course, is very similar to his advertising partner - the Russian blue cat.

If you are thinking about getting yourself a cat like the one in the Sheba ad, then don’t waste time thinking about it, just get one! The Russian Blue cat breed is one of the most intelligent and easy to care for among its four-legged counterparts. The main thing is to carefully choose a kitten so as not to run into a “fake”. After purchasing it, the advertisement for Sheba cat food will become your favorite with your kitten.

Sheba brand ditched 'mimimi' in Valentine's Day video

During the holidays, we pay attention to those closest to us, sometimes forgetting about our pets. Sheba's new advertising campaign encourages thinking about gifts for “your better half.”

A Mars Petcare study in December 2022 showed that more than 80% of Russians surveyed celebrate the New Year with their pets, and 49% prepare gifts for their pets. This became the insight for the new advertising campaign for the Sheba brand.

The “Thriller” video parodies the well-known genre and presents a non-standard approach to seasonal activations. During this time, most brands adhere to classic communication: buy gifts, share attention and love each other.

And Sheba, the brand says, is eschewing cuteness in its tongue-in-cheek campaign to make people smile and leave a lasting memory.

Alena Ivanova, Creative Group Head BBDO Moscow :

During the holidays, everyone gives each other gifts, but they completely forget about cats. We wanted to correct this injustice and chose a non-obvious way to do this. As you know, during the holidays, the communication of many premium brands becomes quite similar. We decided to take advantage of this to do something special. This is how the idea for a thriller that happened on Valentine's Day came about.

Our campaign is a reminder to all cat owners of how important it is not to forget to prepare gifts for their pets, otherwise the holiday may turn out completely different from what was planned.

The campaign will be broadcast on TV and digital, and will also appear in outdoor advertising format.

The creators admit that on the eve of the holiday frenzy, buyers will experience a “break in the pattern”: sentimental and cute pictures will be destroyed by the mesmerizing gaze of a cat, which is impossible to resist.

Anna Kulagina, senior brand manager at Mars Petcare:

We decided to launch the campaign during the holidays to create another reason for owners to please their pets and bond with them. But we didn't want to resort to banal stories.

“Thriller” captivates with its originality and courage. Imitation of this genre is completely atypical for both holiday advertising and pet food promotions.

The campaign comes under our 'Resistance is Futile' platform and shows that cats are truly fascinating creatures that we can't resist. And their main desire is Sheba"

Composition of the creative team:

Mars Russia

Olga Kostrova - Marketing Director Anna Kulagina - Senior Brand Manager, SHEBA Ksenia Somova - Leadership Management Trainee, SHEBA Natalya Mikhailova - Media & Digital Head Alina Ogorodova - Digital Communications

BBDO Moscow

Natalya Tsyganova - Managing Director Alexey Fedorov - Executive Creative Director Alena Ivanova - Creative Group Head Anna Kuzicheva - Digital Art Director Albert Gizatullin - Junior Art Director Yulia Belyakova - Web-designer Polina Ignatieva - Digital Strategic Director Yulia Chmyr - Senior Strategic Planner Irina Ni - Junior Strategic Planner Irina Noruzi - Head of TV Production Meri Asatiani - Producer Pavel Filippenko - Music Producer Anastasia Dubrovskaya - Business Director Katrin Auashria - Account Director Varvara Sidorova - Senior Account Manager

Okey dOkey

Matt Enlow — Director Harvey Glen — Director of Photography Oksana Gil — Executive Producer Elina Sherman — Producer Assistant

Cat breed from the Sheba advertisement

Sheba is a popular manufacturer of cat food, accessories and care products. And the more popular a manufacturer becomes, the larger markets for its products are required. It is advertising that becomes the starting point that allows you to popularize food among an audience that is not very versed in the key features of the nutrition of their own pets. Please note that the Sheba brand has released at least 3 commercials in Russian, in which cats of various breeds took part, for example, British Shorthair and Scottish Fold. However, the hearts of television viewers were won by one single video that appeared on Russian television screens relatively recently.

The main message of Sheba

Sheba produces accessories for animals and luxury food . “Mongrel” cats do not take part in commercials. The company relies on aristocratic animals. The main message of the brand: elite cats get elite food. Previously, Sheba commercials featured animals of the British Shorthair and Scottish Fold breeds. These lords truly have an aristocratic appearance. But they are quite heavy and tightly packed.

When the company decided to shoot a new promotional video for “Sheba for Passionate People” , they needed a more graceful short film hero. After all, in the story, American actress Eva Longoria dances, and with her is her cat. The passionate tango of this couple emphasized the spiritual connection between the owner and her pet.

The video stars Eva Longoria's own cat, Nick.

What is the breed of the new hero? Russian Blue became the “face” of the Sheba brand. Many people think that this is chartreuse. This breed was bred in France back in the 13th century. Chartreuse really does have a gray coat with a blue tint, like Nick's. But according to the standard, representatives of this breed have amber or yellow eyes. And Nick’s are emerald blue. There is no doubt that he is a classic representative of the Russian Blue .

Eva Langoria and gorgeous Nick

The most popular advertisement in the history of the Sheba brand was the video featuring Eva Langoria and the magnificent cat Nick. The brilliant dances of the popular actress, wonderfully chosen music, the chic interior of the scenery and, of course, the mesmerizing beauty of the cat, allowed the commercial to gain thousands of views on the Internet day after day. Eva Langoria and cat Nick actually became the face of the Sheba brand. It’s hard to imagine advertising brochures, commercials, printing and packaging design without their participation. So what breed is this wonderful cat named Nick? The answer is simple:

Russian blue

Interestingly, many people mistakenly call the breed of this animal Chartreuse. The key difference between the Russian Blue and the Chartreuse is the color of the eyes. According to the standard approved by international felinological associations, the eye color of a Chartreuse cat is sand (brown). In the advertisement, the cat has the green eye color characteristic of the Russian Blue breed. Breeds can also be distinguished by physiological characteristics: shape of the skull, ears, body type. However, only specialists can do this.

Interesting facts about Russian Blue

But we managed to learn a lot about the breed of the heroine of the promotional video. The Russian Blue officially appeared in 1939. In fact, cats with blue-gray fur and piercing green eyes have been known for a long time. The breed was bred in the region near the White Sea, which is why it is also called Arkhangelsk.

For a long time, charming cats did not cross the borders of Russia. But within the country they were in demand due to their beauty, cleanliness and easy-going nature.

It is known that the representative of the breed was the pet of Peter the Great.

When Catherine II ascended the throne of Russia, she made these cats an elite gift for European monarchs. The first representatives of the breed were taught by British ambassadors. In Europe, Russian Blue made a splash.

And not only bluish, very dense fur with a silvery sheen. This color is also found in other breeds - for example, Spanish Blue, Chartreuse, Maltese, British. People were impressed by the emerald eyes and special muzzle: the cat’s cheekbones are positioned in such a way that it seems as if she is smiling slightly.