The P&G-owned weed killer extends last year’s breakout dog-led debut with a regional Super Bowl spot from Raindrop.
Insights:
- A returning Super Bowl storyline builds on Spruce’s 2024 debut by bringing Kirk Herbstreit and his golden retriever Peter, back with a sequel that leans harder into character and continuity.
- A regional media strategy places the ad across 36 Southern U.S. markets where weed prevalence is highest, aligning spend with seasonal demand.
- Pet-safe messaging as differentiation reinforces Spruce’s positioning as pet-friendly and weed deadly, using dogs as both stars and proof points.
The unofficial MVP of football season is officially getting a Super Bowl moment.
Peter, the golden retriever who has spent the year alongside Kirk Herbstreit on college and NFL sidelines, is starring in a new extended Super Bowl spot for Spruce.
The pet-friendly weed killer, owned by Procter & Gamble, released the longer cut ahead of the game, continuing a campaign that first broke through during last year’s Super Bowl conversation.
The new creative revisits the playful world introduced in Spruce’s 2024 debut, which riffed on the question “Who Let the Dogs Out?”
This time, the story picks up with a simple twist: what if dogs actually chose their own weed control? Peter leads the charge, set to the return of The Baha Men’s iconic track, anchoring the spot in humor and pop culture familiarity.
While the extended cut is designed for broader sharing, the broadcast version of the ad will air regionally during the Super Bowl across 36 Southern markets.
The spot was produced in partnership with creative agency Raindrop, with media placement focused on regions where weed growth is most aggressive.
Despite the regional buy, Spruce remains available nationwide at major retailers where weed killers are sold.
A Sequel That Knows Why It Worked
Spruce’s approach this year is less about novelty and more about momentum. Last year’s ad introduced the brand with a clear hook. This year’s version sharpens that hook by leaning into familiar faces and a recognizable joke.
- Character continuity matters when building brand memory, and Peter gives Spruce a recurring asset viewers already associate with the product.
- Humor carries the product claim without overexplaining, allowing pet safety to land naturally through the story.
- Music-driven nostalgia helps the ad cut through, using a track that still signals fun without feeling forced.
The result feels intentional rather than louder, a sign the brand understands what earned attention the first time.
Regional Super Bowl, National Ambition
Spruce’s decision to stay regional during the Super Bowl reflects a more disciplined read on media efficiency. Instead of chasing national scale for its own sake, the brand tied placement to real-world usage patterns.
- Southern markets align with peak weed pressure, making the message immediately relevant.
- National retail availability ensures viewers outside the media footprint still encounter the brand in-store.
- Extended digital cuts allow the campaign to travel beyond broadcast without inflating media costs.
This layered strategy mirrors how many challenger brands now use the Super Bowl as a cultural signal rather than a pure reach play.
For marketers watching closely, the campaign offers a few clear lessons.
- Mascots work when they are earned, and Peter’s season-long visibility gives Spruce authenticity other brands try to manufacture.
- Sequels outperform resets when the original creative established a strong mental shortcut.
- Media restraint can sharpen impact, especially when regional relevance is high.
Spruce is showing that Super Bowl participation does not have to mean excess to be effective.
Spotlight View: Can A Dog Win The Super Bowl?
As an animal lover, I will say go Peter!
Peter might be the best case study yet, and Spruce leans into a joke people already like, lets the dog do the work, and avoids the usual Big Game chest-thumping.
The result feels relaxed, self-aware, and oddly confident, and sometimes the smartest Super Bowl move is letting the golden retriever carry the brand.
Super Bowl is always Gold for brands, especially this year, but probably the most relevant and chill one is the DoorDash with 50 Cent.
Need help making your advertising actually stick? Spotlight Creative Agency can create a branding strategy to turn cultural moments into clear, creative work that earns attention and drives results.
Alex Fonseca is a creative marketing strategist and CMO with over 16 years of experience driving brand growth through integrated campaigns, storytelling, and digital innovation. At Sportlight Creative Agency, she brings her expertise in content, branding, and market insights to spotlight the strategies shaping today’s most compelling marketing narratives.
