‘Lost without you’ by Freya Ridings is the soundtrack to an emotive new campaign for Petplan, created by Now.

The campaign marks the largest integrated push to date from the pet insurance brand, which is part of the Allianz insurance group.

The emotive spot features Professor Noel Fitzpatrick, also known as the Supervet, who is a Brand Ambassador for Petplan. It features a scenario which will be painfully familiar to pet lovers, namely ‘the wait’ that owners experience when their pet is unwell or hurt.

The TV spot tells the story of Jack, a man anxiously awaiting news of an unseen loved one, who can’t focus on anything else, no matter where he is or what he does. Only in the final moments do we discover the loved one in question was his Irish Terrier, Lilley, who had been undergoing leg surgery at the vet after an overnight stay.

Jo Maclennan, Head of Brand, Petplan, explains: “As the UK’s no.1 pet insurer, the anxious worry pet owners feel when their pets are ill or injured is something we empathise with daily. Pets are family and the important role they play in our lives allows us to connect with our audience through a shared understanding. As the ad says, getting the best care matters, creating a clear role for the brand and the superior proposition we provide.”

The work aims to bring Petplan’s brand purpose to life; helping pets get the best possible care available. The campaign comes as the brand continues to focus on driving increased awareness and consideration with the new wave of post-pandemic pet owners.

Louise Hayward, CEO of Now, adds: “Not all pet insurance is equal, and with an increase in new pet owners post the pandemic, we needed to drive awareness of the superiority of Petplan. We’re incredibly proud of the campaign and the new approach the work takes, showing that Petplan understands pets and their owners better than anyone else. And we’re equally proud of the strong partnership with Petplan that made this work possible.”

The campaign will span brand TV, social, online, direct response and outdoor advertising.

Josh Norbury, Executive Creative Director at Now, added: "This was an opportunity to tell a beautifully simple yet poignant story that every pet owner could relate to. Something that speaks to the strong emotional connection between pet and owner being no different than that of a human and another human. They mean the world to us. It’s why when they hurt - you hurt. As the UK’s leading pet insurance provider, Petplan are in the unique position to help owners offer truly superior care – something every pet deserves."

A timely reminder of the power of emotion in advertising.