Anyone who has been lucky enough to have a dog whose dream activity is apparent through miniaturized movements likely really enjoys these Purina Pro Plan ads. I've lived with a bunch of different dogs over the years, and they don't all do this, but some of them move their paws like minimal versions of walking and running, bark softly and sniff in their sleep, and it's really cute. I lived with a Pitweiler for about a year in San Francisco about 15 years ago, and that dog put on a little dog play every time he went to sleep, where we could see little dramas playing out, like he'd confront something or someone, chase after them, bark, snarl, etc., all in very minimal ways that were super fun to watch while he was laying down on his side on the floor. Whenever guests would be over and see this, they'd all giggle and the dog would wake up, and he'd seem to love being the center of attention. We always wondered what he was dreaming, and we had fun guessing.
This kind of happy memory is without a doubt what this ad campaign elicits in people who have seen this not-quite-dream-paralysis thing in dogs, and I'm guessing people like these ads like I do. Cute and fun. And the slogan is great too: "If your dog can dream it, Purina Pro Plan can help him achieve it." (I would heave gone with: "If your dogs can dream it, Purina Pro Plan can help them achieve it" to avoid accusations of sexism by the canine feminists (and perhaps their owners), but I guess Purina has concluded their bark is worse than their bite. (Is this a canine version of the War on Women?)
Here are ads from this dreamy campaign:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBDp515o4Fk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl4c17EjT9Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hCpD0XpLKs
BTW: I've never seen a dog with such large leg motions during a dream as the German Shepherd seen in the big stick ad; mostly it's little paw movements suggesting a dream about running that I've seen. But when your dreams have a speed metal soundtrack, you're going to go big with your gesticulating. (My compliments to the dog on his taste in music.) Also, the German Shepherd dream ad is super fun because it exaggerates the size of the stick to a ridiculous degree, like he's a big super-powered dog: super fun! {I guess this dog uses the "walk softly and carry a big stick in your mouth" diplomacy. But when your main line of defense is in your mouth, i.e.: your teeth, doesn't the stick get in the way of its efficacy? I guess that's one for the canine strategy conference.})
