Sheba has rolled out ‘Ignored to Adored’, a new campaign featuring Sharvari, centred on a simple but resonant insight: pets often feel overlooked in everyday routines.
The film positions Sheba not just as food, but as a moment of attention and indulgence that transforms the pet-owner relationship.
This matters because India’s pet care market—estimated to be growing at 20%+ annually—is seeing a clear shift from functional feeding to emotional bonding. Sheba is leaning into this shift to justify its premium pricing and differentiate from mass-market competitors.
The strategic read: premiumisation through emotion
Sheba’s communication follows a familiar premium playbook—move the conversation from product attributes to experience. Instead of talking nutrition or ingredients, the brand builds a narrative around guilt, affection, and reward.
For the category, this signals a maturation curve. As urban pet ownership rises, especially among younger consumers, brands are competing less on utility and more on lifestyle alignment. Celebrity casting here is not for scale alone, but for cultural signalling—positioning pet parenting as aspirational and emotionally aware.
It also reflects a broader trend in FMCG: premium brands in emerging categories are investing in storytelling early, rather than waiting for scale.
What this means for the industry
Expect more pet care brands to shift from “what’s in the pack” to “what it makes you feel.” The battle is moving toward attention, not just shelf space.
Our insight
In a market still building category habits, Sheba is betting that emotion—not education—will accelerate premium adoption.