February 13th, 2023
Boutique dog food burrowed its way into the hearts of the most discerning Super Bowl commercial viewers.
The Farmer's Dog, founded less than a decade ago as a fresh-food alternative to mass produced pet fare, prevailed in USA TODAY's 35th Ad Meter competition, as a chocolate lab and a girl who loved him traveled a 60-second journey through life that seems to set the viewer up for a jarring conclusion.
But the puppy – they call him Bear – lives on as the young protagonist, Ava, passes through childhood, college and on to having a child of her own.
Bear is around through it all, ostensibly, because Ava's family had the foresight to feed him fare superior to the ultra-processed kibble its competitors crank out.
The emotional spot, titled "Forever" and buoyed by soul singer Lee Field's 2022 single of the same name, scored 6.56 out of 10 in voting by Ad Meter viewers tasked with rating all 51 commercials, making The Farmer's Dog a winner in its Super Bowl ad debut.
